Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth
by DivadX
Summary: Yuhiro Furutani, one of 8 children kidnapped 10 years ago by an unknown group, now works as Raguel, an agent in LINK VRAINS' Black Market. One day, he fights the Knights of Hanoi and encounters Playmaker, who becomes his newest assignment. Follow Yuhiro as he now must decide who he wants to become: as both a duelist and as an individual.
1. Chapter 1: Raguel

**Announcements**

Hello everyone, and welcome to Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth! After several months of going onto Fanfiction, I decided to try my hand at writing a story. I chose Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS because I really liked the actual story and believed that it can become better with some tuning. Since this is my first story, any advice would be appreciated.

The story will follow Yuhiro Furutani, an OC-insert to VRAINS. He works as an agent on the black market in Link VRAINS. He lives with Roxanne Matsuo, or Roxy for short.

Now that you know some details about the story, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS: Obscured Truth!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS, its characters, or any of its cards. I own any OC cards and characters that are put in the story.**

**Chapter 1: Raguel**

"Cyberse, be gone!" A man declared, as two large black and green mechanical dragons flew and burned the land. One of the dragons immediately began circling a tower, with the intent of guarding the man.

Nearby the tower was an enormous red ring, with a heptagon in the middle. At each of its ends were medium sized dots, with a small, digital humanoid being held per dot inside, all different colors.

"How did the Knights of Hanoi find us?" A yellow, digital humanoid being emerged from the dot, despite being restrained. "He's going to wipe us out; we gotta do something!"

"Do what?" a brown, tall digital humanoid being said. "He's got us trapped!"

"But not me; because no one can catch this fella, and I mean NO ONE!" a new voice said, as a purple-tinted black, small digital humanoid being appeared, with its legs apart and arms on its hips. "And since you're all tied up at the moment, I mean, how embarrassing." Looking at the dragon, the being said, "Anyway, it's up to me to save the day!"

Immediately upon saying that, the dragon roared once it saw its prey.

"Eliminate that Ignis NOW!" the man ordered.

The dragon flew straight at the being, now identified as an Ignis.

"Watch out!" the female, Blue Ignis cried out.

With quick thinking, the Black Ignis stole vital information from the Cyberse and hid the information within himself, disconnecting it from the rest of the network.

The Red Ignis realized what his comrade was doing. "He's hiding our world to protect us."

"But won't that mean he can never come home again?" the Green Ignis asked.

By the time the Black Ignis finished with his task, the dragon arrived and ate the being in one, massive bite. With its body being nothing but code, all that remained was a single eyeball, drifting in the abyss of the network.

The man immediately returned to an unknown location in the network and said, "Find every fragment of that Ignis and DESTROY IT!"

Yuhiro Furutani woke up, drenched in sweat, in his bed. He was breathing heavily, as the dream he just had was still fresh in his head.

_Damn_, he thought. _What is up with that dream? It felt like I was there myself._

He blinked._ No, I can't let that dream bother me. Three. Think of three things. Three things to live. Three things to go home. Three things to defeat the enemy. By thinking, you can still live._

He closed his eyes to focus. _One:_ _I'm in my bedroom in Roxy's house in Den City. I'm not in that place, for I left there 10 years ago._

He opened his eyes and looked around his bedroom. It had a bed, a desk, and a cabinet for storing clothing and other materials. _Two:_ _Even if it takes a long time, I know these nightmares will eventually fade._

His breathing eventually became steady. _Three:_ _The job I do with Roxy, I don't just do for her. I do it for Miyu as well. Everything I do is so she can one day smile again._

He got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. After splashing water on his face, he looked at the reflection in the mirror. Staring at him was a 16-year-old teenager with cyan eyes and brushed down white hair wearing a white-ruby pendent. There were also bags under his eyes.

Yuhiro had been having these dreams for the past ten years. Sometimes, they were severe, but there were times when he would have dreams prior to the Incident, when he was a happy kid.

_I could tell Roxy about the dreams,_ he thought. He then sighed. _But who am I kidding? She'd recommend those sleeping pills again._ He looked at the pendent he was wearing. _A relic of the past. As long as I continue wearing this pendent, it will serve as a reminder to keep moving forward, to a day where I too can move on from my trauma._

Satisfied, Yuhiro turned off the lights in his bathroom and went back to his bedroom. He walked over to his desk and picked up the small clock that was there. At least he had some time to sleep before school in the morning. After all, it's better than going to school sleep deprived. Again.

_The next day…._

Yuhiro stared at his schoolwork, trying to focus. The teacher had just given the class their Statistics homework for the week and some time to get started on it. He found that focusing on the problem laid out in front of him helped direct his attention to something other than his _other_ work. In addition, it also gave him an excuse to not interact with other people.

"Hey, you're a duelist, right?"

Unfortunately, there were still some people who wanted to talk to him. Yuhiro turned to his right and looked at the student who said that. It was a slightly overweight boy with tiny eyes, a large mouth, and green hair. Like Yuhiro, he wore the outfit of Den Academy. The other students were talking with each other and working together on the homework. However, Yuhiro didn't have any intention to work with the other students. He noticed that he wasn't the only one who felt this way, as a boy in the back row was taking a nap, with his head in his arms.

"I mean," the boy said, drawing Yuhiro's attention to him, "you are wearing a Duel Disk. Though looking at it, it's an older model. I guess that means you're an amateur".

Yuhiro looked at his Duel Disk on his left arm. It was circular in shape, with a white base and yellow top circling a black screen. A section on the side facing away from him was colored light grey.

"Who are you exactly?" he asked. While the boy was familiar, he had no idea who he was.

"Hey!" the boy said, annoyed. "It's been a month since school started! You still don't know your classmate's name?" He smirked and jabbed himself with his left thumb. "My name's Naoki Shima. You're Furutani, right? Based on where you're sitting, I'm guessing you don't have many friends," he guessed.

"Not really. But I am Furutani, if that's what you're asking," Yuhiro said. He would have returned to the problem he was working on, but Naoki shook his right shoulder.

"Oi! I wasn't finished talking with you yet," Naoki said. He gave a smug smile and lifted his left arm, which had a blue contraption attached to his wrist. "Anything you want to say to me?"

Yuhiro looked at him, then looked back at the problem. "Not really," he replied. This annoyed Naoki even more, who then shoved his arm close to Yuhiro's face and said, "What about _this_?

"Oh," Yuhiro commented, an uninterested expression on his face. "That's SOL Technologies' newest Duel Disk, correct?"

"You bet it is!" Naoki said, his smile bigger and tiny eyes shining. "Anyways, this Duel Disk has an AI installed that gives advice not just during duels, but in real life as well."

"Hello", the Duel Disk on his arm said.

"Hello", Yuhiro said back. He decided to put aside his Statistics homework and go on his tablet. Perhaps if he looked like he was busy doing something else, then Naoki would take the hint and leave him alone.

But no such luck, as Naoki sat down in the seat beside Yuhiro. "This AI is connected to SOL Technologies cloud. Thus, I can use cards in data form". He held up his right hand as he continued, "I also have access to the VR network, LINK VRAINS." He then showed Yuhiro several pictures of duelists in LINK VRAINS, the cyberspace dueling community, on his Duel Disk. "See? What do you think?"

"Interesting," Yuhiro said, deadpan. "Have you ever gone to LINK VRAINS to duel?"

"Don't be stupid!" Naoki suddenly shouted, attracting the attention of several students, as well as his AI, which said, "'Stupid' is a forbidden word."

"It's a special gathering place for expert duelists, as well as Charisma Duelists!" Naoki said, this time more softly.

"I see." Yuhiro was completely bored. He knew all about the so-called 'Charisma' Duelists: Duelists who put on a show for the crowd through dueling.

"But if I do go," Naoki continued, "maybe I'll meet the Charisma Duelists there. Maybe I'll even meet Playmaker himself!"

"Playmaker?" Yuhiro asked. The name was familiar, but he couldn't remember where from.

"He's the hottest duelist right now," Naoki explained. "He secretly fights the Knights of Hanoi, hackers who commit crimes in LINK VRAINS."

_Stopping crimes in LINK VRAINS?_ Yuhiro thought. _You may think that's what he does Shima, but I believe there's more to it than that…_

He asked Naoki, "Do you have a picture of Playmaker?" While he didn't know where he knew the name from, perhaps a picture might help in ordering his thoughts around.

"Of course not," Naoki replied, not noticing Yuhiro's disappointment. "Apparently, no one knows who he is. But I intend to meet Playmaker and become a duelist of justice, just like him!" Unfortunately, that last statement was louder than the rest, which earned Naoki a reprimand from the teacher.

"Sorry, ma'am," he said, turning back to Yuhiro and talking quieter. "Though, if I can't meet Playmaker, I do want to meet Raguel."

"Raguel?" Yuhiro asked, raising an eyebrow. He pretended this got his attention. It worked, as Naoki noticed. "Is that someone else fighting against the Knights of Hanoi?"

"Oh, he does more than fighting! People say that, after he defeats an opponent, he obtains their equipment and gives it to the poor, like _Robin Hood_. Others say that he eliminates enemies, keeps LINK VRAINS' underworld in check, and assists those in trouble. If anything, he's just as big a hero as Playmaker! Sadly, no one knows who he is either." A thought immediately occurred to Naoki. "Say, would you like me to teach you how to duel? If you like, you can even join the Duel Club."

"Duel Club?" Yuhiro asked, not expecting that. "Is it some sort of club?"

"Yes. It's an extracurricular group where we discuss tactics and strategies," Naoki explained. "If not, then I can teach you how to duel."

"No, thank you," Yuhiro immediately replied, turning to his tablet again. "I'm not looking for extracurricular work as well."

"Don't think of it as work, think of it as making friends."

_Friends_, Yuhiro thought. His thoughts, however, were interrupted as Naoki said, "Everyone can use friends." He turned to the person behind them. "Zaizen, help me out here. I'm trying to get this guy to join the Duel Club, but he won't do it."

"Then leave him alone, Shima," the student said. Yuhiro glanced back. The speaker was a girl, with light brown hair in a bob-cut and yellow eyes, typing on her own tablet. "Not everyone wants to join the Duel Club."

"But the president said we need new members, and-."

"Shima." The girl scowled at Naoki, which silenced him. She sighed and turned from her tablet to Yuhiro. "I'm Aoi Zaizen," she said. "Do you want to join the Duel Club?"

"No," he said, not bothering to look at her. Zaizen? From what he heard, there was a well-known SOL Executive also named Zaizen. Could she be related to him?

"There you go, Shima," Aoi said to Naoki. "He's not interested." She turned back to her tablet. While Yuhiro wasn't sure who she is, he had to admit: She was straight to the point.

"Ugh. Am I the only one who takes the Duel Club seriously?" Naoki wondered. He turned to Yuhiro. "Look, you don't have to join. But could you at least consider it? I don't think being alone is healthy for a person."

Yuhiro was about to respond, but then remembered what Roxy told him. _If you don't want to see the therapist, then at least consider interacting with others. If you do, you might be able to find some comfort after what happened._ He wasn't sure how talking to people would help, but he trusted Roxy with his life.

"Alright Shima. I'll think about it," Yuhiro finally said. This was enough to satisfy Naoki, as he returned to his seat. _Finally_, he thought. _I can at least focus on something else other than the Duel Club._

"Sorry about that." Yuhiro turned behind him. This time, it was Aoi who spoke to him, but her eyes were on her tablet. "While Shima means well, he can be very impulsive."

"I can tell he's a good person," Yuhiro said. "But I doubt in his ability to duel. I don't think I'd learn anything from joining the Duel Club as well."

Aoi looked from her tablet to Yuhiro. "What makes you think of those things?"

Yuhiro held up his hand. "There are three reasons that tell me Shima is a bad duelist. One," he held up one finger, "he bragged about his Duel Disk. The fact that he relies on an AI for dueling shows he doesn't care about his deck. Two," he held up another finger, "he's told me that he's not yet ready to compete in LINK VRAINS. It shows that he doesn't trust his abilities. Three," he held up a third finger, "he pre-judged me by the age of my Duel Disk, not by my skill or my cards. Thus, he isn't a good duelist."

Aoi raised an eyebrow at Yuhiro's reasons, but he continued talking. "However, there's three reasons I believe he's a good person at heart. One, even if it's about an object, he wants to talk about dueling because of his passion for Duel Monsters. Two, by acquiring the latest Duel Disk, he's well informed. Three, the fact he went to talk to a loner like myself shows he's willing to make friends. Therefore, while he's not a good duelist, he is a good person."

Aoi stared at Yuhiro, not expecting him to speak so much. "Why do you categorize things into groups of three?"

"It helps me think. Also, someone taught it to me a long time ago." Yuhiro turned back to his tablet. Unlike Naoki, Aoi took the hint and turned back to her own tablet.

_LINK VRAINS: Unknown location…_

A lone figure stood in an unlit room. This person was a tan-skinned man with yellow eyes without irises or pupils, and black hair with orange and red highlights. He wore a white sleeveless coat with a white jumpsuit under it, black and red boots, a black-colored Duel Disk, with red accents, and gold-bullet shaped earrings. He also had a visor shaped in the form of a mask covering his face.

Another person logged into the room. This person was a fair-skinned man with grey hair and light blue eyes. He wore a white suit with grey outlines and a black stripe on his chest, as well as white shoes.

The newly arrived man bowed to the other. "Master Revolver, the Ignis has finally reappeared. But if we've detected it, SOL Tech must have to, for they wish to find and revive the Cyberse."

The man, now identified as Revolver, replied, "Then we must simply capture it before they do, Specter. After all, the Cyberse needs to be destroyed, not revived."

"I don't doubt your abilities Revolver," the other man, Specter, said, "but what if this Playmaker dares interfere with us again? There's also rumors of another individual, called Raguel. Some call him a dark angel, who exists only to eliminate and destroy. Others call him the king of LINK VRAINS' underworld."

"Let Playmaker interfere if he must. He's nothing more than a nuisance. As for Raguel, if he gets in our way, we'll deal with him," Revolver said.

Specter spoke up. "May I suggest that Playmaker, as well as Raguel, are more formidable than you think. Our best hackers have failed to uncover either of their real-life identities. Not only do they block our trackers, they both purge their logging histories."

"Focus on the task at hand for now Spectre," Revolver said, dismissing him. "Hunt down that Ignis and bring it to me."

_Elsewhere…_

Café Matsuo. Yuhiro noticed an advertisement for it on his way back from school. It held significant meaning to his life, as it was one of two places that he found comfort in. He smelled something in the air. _I wonder what Roxy's cooking_, he thought. _Because if it's good, then I can smell it all the way from here. _

Yuhiro walked into Café Matsuo. It was mostly empty; the afternoon rush finished a while ago. Roxy was standing behind the counter, handing a man the burger and fries he purchased.

"Hope you enjoy the meal!" she said, with her southern accent. She then perked up upon seeing Yuhiro approaching the counter. "Hey there Yuhiro! You came at the right time!" Roxanne Matsuo was slightly taller than Yuhiro, with black, wavy, waist-length hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a hairband with black-trimmed glasses, with blue denim jeans and a dark yellow shirt with an apron on it. Her eyes were black and had light-tan skin, making her an attractive figure. "Why don't you come on in and get an apron."

"Loud and clear, boss," Yuhiro said, going behind the counter and putting on his apron. With him at the counter, Roxy could man the grill. Working at the Café with Roxy was his job. Or at the very least, one of his jobs.

When he got close to Roxy, he asked, "How's Miyu?"

Roxy looked despondent as she said, "Nothing's changed for her." The bell at the Café immediately rang. "That's your cue." After taking the customer's order and handing it to Roxy, Yuhiro changed the subject.

"Any updates from our friend?" he asked.

"Yup," Roxy said, her expression neutral and her voice low as she turned the grill on. "Lately, Den City's security network has been strengthened. I believe SOL Technologies is performing a scan of LINK VRAINS, to find something."

"What would SOL even want to find at this point in time? Don't they have everything?" Yuhiro said, raising an eyebrow.

"They do," Roxy said, as she was flipping the burger patty, "but they're looking for an AI program. And from the looks of the situation, it's fleeing from something."

Yuhiro thought about what she said for a full minute before speaking. "An AI running away? How ridiculous. They don't have free will." He realized something. "If SOL is doing a scan tonight during the event, there's going to be weaknesses in the network. And others that might exploit it."

"Like the Knights of Hanoi?" Roxy said, narrowing her eyes as she flipped the burger patty over. "They're a likely target. And our friend loves their tech, that's for sure."

"Yup. Best part is, not only do we get to keep some of the tech, we also get paid for each knight defeated." Noticing the burger was almost finished, Yuhiro went over and grabbed a Diet-Coke from the fridge. He then put it in a paper bag. "Besides, I can't just let them hurt people."

"You could leave it to Playmaker," Roxy suggested as she wrapped up the burger and put it in the paper bag. "He's just a pain in the ass for the Hanoi as you are. If they do appear, he'll hunt them down."

"As much as I want to trust Playmaker, I don't. And if SOL tries to stop them, they'll get trashed." Yuhiro went to the counter and handed the customer his order. He then went back to the grill. "Think of it like this: I stop the Knights, we get paid by our friend, any tech obtained from my jobs is used for the next one, and the money goes towards Miyu's treatment."

"She does need it," Roxy said, looking at Yuhiro. "But I worry about you, Yuhiro. As my granddaddy always said, no matter how skilled you are, you'll eventually face someone you can't beat." Yuhiro was about to get a water from the fridge when she added, "And they certainly don't help with the dreams you've been having, haven't they?"

Yuhiro stopped what he was doing and turned to face her. Roxy gave him a serious look.

"You had another one, didn't you?"

"They never go away, Roxy," Yuhiro said, grabbing a water from the fridge and drinking it. "It's been ten years and they still happen. The dream last night, however, was different."

"Really? How so?" Roxy asked as she cleaned her glasses. Yuhiro then explained what happened in that dream. She whistled once he was finished. "Wow. That's one weird dream."

"I feel like I was there though," Yuhiro said, as he ran his hands through his brushed down white hair. "Like perhaps this dream was meant to show that nothing will be the same anymore."

"Or you could be acting delusional." Roxy smirked as she walked past him to the front of the Café and turned on the 'CLOSED' sign.

"Roxy, I'm not acting delusional," Yuhiro said, getting her attention. "And before you ask, I've tried moving on. But the dreams never stop. Right now, I can just continue helping you with your jobs and earning money to help you and Miyu. It's the least I can do after everything you did for me."

Ever since the incident ten years ago, Yuhiro had been living with Roxy. Actually, before getting adopted by her, he was taken in by the Den City Shelter following the incident. Roxy put up with Yuhiro, helped pay for his therapy for a short period of time, and paid for Yuhiro's education at Den Academy. Working at her fast-food restaurant for free was one of the ways Yuhiro paid her back. And, after he learned that her cousin Miyu was also part of the incident, he worked with Roxy in undertaking missions as an agent in LINK VRAINS' black market. Once the mission was complete, their friend paid them in both money and technology, with the money going towards Miyu's treatment. The technology, on the other hand…

Yuhiro looked at his watch. It's time. "Say, Roxy. Have you finished the repairs on my gun and sword?"

"I finished the repairs this morning," Roxy said, taking her apron off and hanging it in the clothes hanger. "They're ready to go."

"Perfect." Yuhiro took off his apron and walked with her to the back room. "Cause I have a feeling that tonight is going to be a doozy."

_A few minutes later…_

"Everyone! Are you fired up?" In the central plaza of Den City, a large crowd had gathered, watching several television screens. "Tonight, many Charisma Duelists are about to duel in LINK VRAINS!" This was said by an MC wearing glasses and an orange suit holding a microphone.

"Dueling in Area #1 is LINK VRAINS #1 hooligan who uses the Gouki deck, Go Onizuka!" The screens shifted to show a well-built young man with dark hair, a chin beard, and a gold hat. He wore a large jacket that exposed his chest with dark pants and a golden belt, as well as large boots with gold plated knuckles and gold plates on his arms with black fingerless gloves. The screens showed Go standing in an area resembling Paris.

"Dueling in Area #2 is LINK VRAINS' poster girl who uses the Trickstar deck, Blue Angel!" The screens shifted again to show a teenage girl with long blue hair tied into two long strands of heart-shaped ribbons. Here eyes were also blue, and she wore a white sleeveless with a blue necktie over a blue and pink dress with wing-shaped frills, and dark blue thigh-high socks. Her most noticeable feature, however, was the pair of white wings on her back with pink hearts and lavender clovers on them. Blue Angel was standing on a rooftop facing her opponent, with the area resembling Florence, Italy.

"You know, of all convenient times, SOL picked the worst time to perform a scan," Yuhiro said. He and Roxy were sitting in the back room of the restaurant, typing on the computers. One monitor showed the LINK VRAINS event live. If Yuhiro was right about the Hanoi attacking, the live recording would show it first. "If Hanoi takes advantage of the opportunity, lots of people are going to get hurt tonight."

"Couldn't agree more," Roxy replied. "Honestly, if SOL's doing the scan now, it's either they're pressured, or they're arrogant in how strong their so-called 'security' is."

"There is something I need to know," Yuhiro said, turning from the monitor to Roxy. "Were you able to get any information on Playmaker?"

Playmaker appeared many months after Yuhiro started taking missions as an agent in LINK VRAINS' black market. Yuhiro assumed Playmaker was another agent just like him but was shortly proven wrong enough. He learned that Playmaker only battled against the Knights of Hanoi. Otherwise, he would've been given other jobs such as recruitment and retrieval. Although Yuhiro couldn't figure out why Playmaker would only fight with one enemy group, he believed that there was more to it other than simply protecting LINK VRAINS.

"Nothing. Zilch," Roxy said, shaking her head. "After he shows up, he simply deletes his activity logs. No trail and no eyewitnesses. It's like he's a ghost."

"So, he's not only a strong duelist, but a skilled hacker," Yuhiro concluded. "Interesting."

One of the monitors immediately started beeping. "SOL started the scan. Roxy, do you know which version it is?"

"It's the MCA Version 84493." Roxy narrowed her eyes at the monitor as she typed on the computers. "I guess they want that AI program bad."

_LINK VRAINS: Unknown location…_

Revolver was looking at the monitor with Specter when an alert popped up.

"Master Revolver," Specter said. "The city's firewall is down 23%. And dropping."

Revolver smirked. At last, an opportunity came. "This is our chance. Number 9. Number 10."

Immediately, two men wearing white-hooded coats appeared, bowing behind Revolver. Both of them wore grey and yellow masks covering their faces, with one red eye and one green eye.

"Yes, Master Revolver," one of the men said. This was Number 10. "How may we serve?"

"The Ignis will attempt to escape into LINK VRAINS." Revolver's face soon turned serious. "Capture it and bring it to me immediately."

"Affirmative," Number 9 said. "We will not fail." The two men logged out of the room soon after.

_Café Matsuo's Backroom…_

Suddenly, the screen showing the scan started beeping red. "Shit," Roxy said. The flashing color indicated that someone was breaking into LINK VRAINS. "Someone, or something, is breaching SOL's firewall."

"Can you identify who or what?" Yuhiro asked her. Before Roxy could answer him, the screen showing Blue Angel and Go started glitching. Both of them turned to watch the screen. There was suddenly a massive hole in Go's arena, through which two massive black and green mechanical dragons appeared. Each dragon was ridden by a man in a white coat with their hood up. Yuhiro knew the moment he saw them that they were members of the Knights of Hanoi.

"It's the Hanoi!" Roxy said. She turned to see Yuhiro getting up from his chair. "Where are you going?"

"They've broken into LINK VRAINS," Yuhiro answered, putting on his Duel Disk. "And I can't let them hurt the people that are there."

"Yuhiro, be careful," Roxy said, turning back to the screen. "And look out for that AI program. If we capture it, then we can auction it on the black market for the highest price."

Yuhiro headed to another room in the restaurant. This was a closed off space where he could enter LINK VRAINS quickly and quietly. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his deck. After the door closed, he placed his deck into his Duel Disk and said, "Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

Yuhiro was surrounded by a sphere of blue light as he spread out his arms. His appearance changed to that of his digital avatar. He wore a long, dark blue coat with a red inner lining and a brown harness. Under the coat was a black jumpsuit with lines in the shape of an x on the center. The white-ruby pendent he was wearing earlier was also worn around his neck. A brown belt appeared around his waist, as well as brown boots going halfway up his shins. Yuhiro's hair changed so that the top grew upward instead of being brushed down, with the color changing to aquamarine. The last part to change was his eyes, changing from cyan to grey. He was propelled into LINK VRAINS, entering through a digital portal and landing in the ruins of Area #2. No longer was he Yuhiro Furutani. Now he was Raguel.

After landing, he noticed a familiar weight on his back and waist. _My sword and double-barreled gun,_ he thought. _Thank you, Roxy._

He ran around, looking for the Knights of Hanoi, when he found one. He was still riding the mechanical dragon, but he was chasing someone that Raguel recognized as Blue Angel.

"Vanish!" the Knight shouted. His dragon breathed fire at Blue Angel, but before Raguel could intervene, someone else grabbed Blue Angel and pulled her out of the way of the fire.

"Gee, I'm really back," someone said. Was it Blue Angel's savior? The figure had spiky yellow, pink, and orange hair and wore a black and dark green jumpsuit with a gold line running up his left arm.

"You dare interfere, punk?" the Knight asked the man.

"My name is Playmaker!" the man declared. Raguel, who was watching from the corner, raised an eyebrow. This was _the_ Playmaker everyone was talking about? He had really good timing. "And I have what you're looking for." He held up his left arm, showing a red, white, and blue Duel Disk. "If you don't call off your attack, you'll regret it. Because I'll delete this AI right now."

"What what what!" Raguel realized the voice before was coming from Playmaker's Duel Disk. Was this the AI everyone wanted? "I've decided I don't like you very much."

Playmaker ignored this and continued, "I converted this program into a duel program. If you want it, then you have to defeat me in a duel."

_So that's the AI SOL was scanning for_, Raguel thought. It was like putting two and two together – Playmaker had possession of an AI program, and SOL was scanning for an AI program. Thus, this AI program was the one they'd been looking for. At the same time, Raguel concluded that the Hanoi was attacking because they too were looking for the AI program. Since Playmaker got the AI before SOL or Hanoi, he could use it as a bargaining chip to make Hanoi cease their attack. _You're clever Playmaker. This might get interesting._

"Fine," the Knight said smirking. "You'll learn what happens when you oppose the Hanoi!" Unbeknownst to everyone else, the Knight opened a channel and called his partner. "I located the Ignis," he whispered. "Playmaker has it. Come to my location so we can overwhelm him with numbers!"

The Knight and Playmaker moved locations to the LINK VRAINS central city location. They stood opposite to each other, with Raguel eavesdropping on them around the corner. He was curious as to what kind of duelist Playmaker was, and what weapons the Hanoi use.

What happened next even surprised Raguel. Playmaker appeared to be talking to his Duel Disk when it released a purple light towards the sky.

"What's going on?" Raguel wondered, watching with surprise. The light opened a tunnel that released a stream of blue, purple, and white data. The next thing he knew, he felt a gust of wind.

"No way! A Data Storm?" Raguel said, his eyes wide. This was confirmed when a black and white board with blue fins suddenly appeared, which Playmaker jumped on to. The board landed on the data stream, and Raguel watched as Playmaker raced away. From what he knew, Data Storms haven't been seen in years, which meant…

He noticed Blue Angel and Go Onizuka following Playmaker. He couldn't miss this duel! Raguel pressed a button on his Duel Disk, releasing a small, black fly with a camera and orange eyes. "Ok E.M.S. Follow Playmaker and record his duel," he commanded it. The fly flew away, following the stream of data. If his suspicions were correct, Playmaker was about to have a Speed Duel with the Knight of Hanoi.

While Raguel wanted to follow Playmaker, he realized he had other problems. He heard a roar out in the distance. When Raguel turned his head as to what it was, he saw the other Knight of Hanoi racing towards the duel on his own dragon. He soon realized the scenario: The Knight will end up working with his ally to overwhelm Playmaker with numbers.

_Like that's going to happen,_ Raguel thought. He launched a red cord towards the dragon, which wrapped around its tail. Raguel was yanked off the ground and into the air. He used the velocity to swing and land on top of the dragon.

"What the? Who goes there?" the Knight said, turning around. He soon realized that a trespasser was on top of his dragon!

"Sorry," Raguel said, as he unsheathed his sword, "but your dragon's toast!" Raguel lifted his sword and slammed it downwards into the dragon's body, causing it to roar in pain. He then twisted the sword's handle several times, making the dragon suffer even more pain, as well as the Knight losing control of it.

"Shit! I'm losing control!" The dragon immediately started to fall into the abyss, but Raguel unceremoniously grabbed the Knight and threw him to the rooftop of a nearby building, with Raguel landing on it shortly after.

The Knight growled as he stood up, shouting, "Who dares attack Hanoi?"

"I dare." The Knight turned and looked at the voice. It was Raguel. "Oh, and I'd check your left wrist if I were you." The Knight looked at his left wrist and saw a red cord wrapped around it. "This is a Duel Anchor," he told him. "It prevents both of us from logging out until we have a duel.

"Who are you?" the Knight demanded.

"I am Raguel," Raguel answered.

"You're Raguel? The same one who steals the losing duelist's equipment? The same one who is king of LINK VRAINS' underworld?" The Knight was surprised, even though his mask hid it. "What business do you have with Hanoi?"

"To answer your first question, yes, I'm Raguel. As for your second, yes, I steal the losing duelist's equipment and sell it on the black market. As for the third, I think you're a bit far-fetched if you ask me. Lastly, you're attacking LINK VRAINS, which is all the reason I need!" Raguel said. He activated his Duel Disk, revealing a blue and black blade with a white outline. "If you wish to leave, then you must defeat me!"

"Fine!" the Knight said, activating his own Duel Disk. It was a version of SOL's new Duel Disk, looking like a white wrist band with green lines and a blue sphere on top.

_While it would be cool to have a Speed Duel with this punk,_ Raguel thought, _Playmaker is currently occupying the people's attention. Less attention means more focus in getting this job done._

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 LP**

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

"I'll take the first turn," the Knight said, as he waved his hand in front of him. Five cards materialized in front of him. Seeing what was in his hand, he smiled. _With this hand, _he thought_, I can finish this duel and complete my task for Master Revolver!_

"Since you control no monsters, I can Special Summon Hack Worm!" A mechanical brown worm with green lines running across its body appeared and roared at Raguel.

**Hack Worm ATK: 400 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"I now Special Summon another Hack Worm!" A second mechanical brown worm with green lines running across its body soon appeared on the field.

**Hack Worm ATK: 400 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Two monsters," Raguel whispered. "He can still Normal Summon this turn." Speaking to the Knight, he said, "You're going to Tribute Summon, aren't you?"

"That's correct!" the Knight said, impressed by his enemy's deduction. This duelist was smarter than the others. "Now I use my two Hack Worm's to Tribute Summon! Come forth, Cracking Dragon!" The mechanical dragon he'd been riding on earlier appeared on his field. It was black and green, with six bladed wings attached by six glowing lights.

**Cracking Dragon ATK: 3000 DEF: 0 LV: 8**

"With this monster, you're finished Raguel!" the Knight declared. "I Set one card and end my turn."

"So that's his ace monster," Raguel muttered to himself, looking at the cards in his hand. _3000 attack points on the same turn. Now this is a challenge,_ he thought.

He placed his hand on his deck. "My turn," he declared. "I draw!" He drew and looked at his card. _Perfect! This will do,_ he thought.

"From my hand, I summon Cyreath Banshee!" A pale, female ghost with long white hair and wearing a grey dress appeared on Raguel's left side.

**Cyreath Banshee ATK: 1400 DEF: 700 LVL: 4**

"So, you use the Cyberse type," the Knight said. "But it doesn't matter before Cracking Dragon! I activate Cracking Dragon's monster effect! If you Normal or Special Summon exactly one monster, its attack points are decreased by its level times 200. Also, you take damage equal to how much attack points your monster loses! Crack Fall!"

The orbs around Cracking Dragon glowed as a gust of wind hit Raguel and Cyreath Banshee, hurting both of them. Since Banshee's level was 4, Raguel took 800 points of damage.

**Cyreath Banshee ATK: 1400 – 800 = 600**

**Raguel: 4000 – 800 = 3200 LP**

"So that's the power of Cracking Dragon," Raguel said, narrowing his eyes at the monster. "In that case, I activate Cyreath Banshee's effect! Once per turn, I can change the battle position of one monster you control to Defense Position. While monsters I control can only attack the targeted monster this turn, any monster that attacks it can inflict piercing battle damage! Ghoulish Scream!"

Cyreath Banshee screamed loudly at Cracking Dragon, causing the dragon to brace itself as it changed from Attack to Defense Position.

"Now battle! Cyreath Banshee, attack Cracking Dragon! Transparent Invasion!" The banshee immediately went inside of Cracking Dragon and tore it to shreds, causing an explosion. The Knight's response to this was only a smirk.

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 – 600 = 3400 LP**

"Do you really think that will destroy my Cracking Dragon?" the Knight said. And sure enough, Cracking Dragon was still on the field.

"How is your monster still on the field?" Raguel demanded. He also noticed something else: a face-down card was activated on the Knight's side of the field.

"Cracking Dragon cannot be destroyed by monsters whose level is lower than it," the Knight answered him. "And since my monster wasn't destroyed, I was able to activate my Trap Card, Crack Supply!" The card showed Cracking Dragon being outfitted with new power cores at its wings. "When a monster I control isn't destroyed by battle, I'm able to draw two cards from my deck. So, thank you, Raguel!"

_Shit,_ Raguel thought. _Cracking Dragon's level is 8, meaning I'll need either a Link monster or a monster whose level is higher than that of Cracking Dragon's. And because of my idiocy, he got to draw two cards!_

"I Set two cards. And end my turn." Raguel said. "Since the turn ended, Cracking Dragon's effect ends, and Cyreath Banshee's attack points go back to normal."

**Cyreath Banshee ATK: 600 + 800 = 1400**

"My turn!" the Knight declared. "I draw!" He looked at the card he drew, then the cards in his hand. The Knight realized that he had the perfect combination of cards to win the duel.

"With these cards, you're finished, Raguel," the Knight shouted. "I activate the Spell Card: DDoS Attack! I target 1 monster I control and send any number of copies of DDos Attack from my deck to the Graveyard. You then take 100 points of damage for each card sent to the Graveyard times the level of a Machine monster I control!"

_Uh-oh_, Raguel thought. He also noted that if the Knight's Cracking Dragon attacked his Cyreath Banshee, he would most certainly lose the duel. Apparently, this Knight wasn't taking any risks.

"I send two copies of DDos Attack, and target Cracking Dragon! Therefore, you take 1600 points of damage!" A red laser blasted out of the card towards Raguel, but he was ready for it.

"Counter-Trap activate! Cyreath Intervention!" It showed a lightning strike from a mountain with a grand hall at the top. "By paying 1000 Life Points, I can negate the activation of a card effect, and then destroy it." A lightning bolt struck DDos attack, making it vanish into particles, while another lightning bolt hit Raguel, making him wince.

**Raguel: 3200 – 1000 = 2200 LP**

"All that to save 600 Life Points," the Knight mockingly said. "Rest assured Raguel. I got other cards to tear your field apart. Like this one! I activate my Spell Card: Crack Breaker!" The card showed Cracking Dragon firing a blast of electricity at a firewall. "When this card is activated, if I control Cracking Dragon, I can destroy 1 Spell or Trap card you control! And I choose the only one you have on your field!"

Cracking Dragon fired a burst of electricity at the face-down card, destroying it. However, the only reaction the Knight got from Raguel was a smirk.

"Sorry," Raguel said, "but the card you destroyed was the Spell Card Cyreath Salvation! And now that you destroyed it, I can use its second effect!" The card showed a scholar praying over the graves of warriors that have fallen. "Since Cyreath Salvation was destroyed by a card effect, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand, deck or Graveyard."

A card slid out from Raguel's deck. "And the monster I choose to Special Summon from my deck is Cyreath Legionnaire!" A muscular man in golden armor, shin pads, braces, and helmet with red feathers appeared on the field. He carried a small sword and massive shield.

**Cyreath Legionnaire** **ATK: 1700 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Have you forgot the effect of Cracking Dragon?" the Knight said. Thrusting his hand out, he shouted, "Crack Fall!" The orbs around Cracking Dragon glowed again as a gust of wind hit Raguel and Cyreath Legionnaire. To the Knight's surprise, the monster wasn't losing any attack points.

"How come your monster didn't lose any attack points?" the Knight said, annoyed at what happened.

"I forgot to mention," Raguel said, "that if I control a 'Cyreath' monster when Legionnaire is summoned, it is unaffected by card effects. That means I don't take effect damage."

"Tch. In that case, I change my Cracking Dragon to Attack Position!" the Knight declared. The monster roared as its position switched. "Now battle! Cracking Dragon, attack Cyreath Banshee! Traffic Blast!" Cracking Dragon sent out a stream of blue fire at Banshee, destroying it. The blue fire then hit Raguel and sent him flying backwards.

**Raguel: 2200 – 1600 = 600 LP**

"You may have survived," the Knight commented, "but the match is over! I end my turn."

"Wrong! The duel isn't over until the last card is played!" Raguel said, a determined look on his face.

The Knight simply laughed in response. "You don't understand, do you? Then you're a bigger fool than I thought you were!"

Raguel was about to say something to the Knight when he heard a loud noise. When he turned around to see what was causing it, his eyes widened in terror. A large tornado of data was heading their way, destroying everything in its path.

"It's lights out for you, Raguel! Goodbye!" the Knight sneered. He laughed as Raguel panicked.

Raguel was going to activate his Duel Anchor to latch onto a nearby building, when he noticed the Data Storm breaking in two.

"What?" the Knight and Raguel said simultaneously. They both saw a figure shooting out of the Data Storm. Raguel realized that the figure was Playmaker, holding a card.

Playmaker shot out of the Data Storm and landed on a nearby data stream, continuing his duel, not realizing that he saved Raguel from being crushed into particles.

_Thanks, Playmaker,_ Raguel thought. Turning back to the Knight, he said, "Looks like you were wrong pal! I'm still alive!"

"That may be true," the Knight said, agreeing with him, "but you have only 1 monster and 600 Life Points. While I have Cracking Dragon on my field! So, if you summon a Level 3 or above monster, you lose!"

"Then let's see where this turn takes us," Raguel declared, his eyes narrowing. He placed a hand on the top card of his deck.

_There are three reasons why I need to win this duel,_ Raguel thought. _One: I can't let thugs like him hurt the people in LINK VRAINS. Two: Every job I take, every duel I go through, is to one day see Miyu and Roxy smile again. Three: I owe Playmaker for saving my ass!_

"I draw!" Raguel drew the top card of his deck and gave a smile. He had everything needed to win now. "I activate Cyreath Treasure from my hand!" The card showed a Barbarian and an Archer opening a treasure chest full of gold. "This card lets me draw 2 cards. But in exchange, I must send 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand to the GY!" He drew the top 2 cards of his deck and smirked. He then sent a 'Cyreath' monster in his hand to the Graveyard.

"I activate the effect of Cyreath Wandering Soul from my Graveyard!" The card showed a man surrounded by mist. "By banishing it from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"And since this monster has no attack points, not only will it not lose attack points, but I won't take damage as well!" Raguel said, causing the Knight to grit his teeth in anger.

"Next I summon Cyreath Gargoyle!" A small, blue gargoyle with large horns, stubby wings, and large hands with vicious claws joined the field.

**Cyreath Gargoyle ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

"No matter what monster you summon," the Knight said, "Cracking Dragon's effect will reduce its attack points, and then inflict those points of damage to you!"

The wind hit Raguel and Gargoyle, reducing their Life Points and attack points.

**Cyreath Gargoyle ATK: 500 – 200 = 300**

**Raguel 600 – 200 = 400 LP**

"Besides, those monsters are nothing against Cracking Dragon!" the Knight told Raguel.

"Is that so? In that case, then it's time for me to call on my ace monster!" Raguel replied.

"Ace monster?" The Knight soon realized what Raguel was up to. "You don't mean-!"

"And now, appear!" Raguel shouted, pointing to the sky above him. "The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A bolt of lightning came out of his hand and hit the sky, creating a square portal with eight arrows around it.

"Arrowheads confirmed!" Raguel chanted. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I set Cyreath Legionnaire, Cyreath Wanderer, and Cyreath Gargoyle in the Link Markers!"

The three monsters he named flew up the portal, each heading towards one arrow. Legionnaire entered the arrow on the top left, turning it red. Wanderer entered the arrow on the top right, turning it red. Lastly, Gargoyle entered the arrow on the bottom, turning it red.

"Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Rise! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3** ↖️⬇️↗️

"Any monster summoned from the Extra Deck is Special Summoned to the Extra Monster Zone!" Raguel told the Knight, which he already knew.

"No way. Your ace monster is a Link Monster?" the Knight said, surprised and in shock. First, it was Cyberse monsters, now it was a Cyberse Link Monster.

"Link Monsters don't have levels, nor can they exist in Defense Position! Which means your Cracking Dragon's effect won't work on it!" Raguel reminded the Knight.

Pointing to his field, he continued, "I activate the effect of Cyreath Legionnaire from my Graveyard! Since it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned Monster that used it as Link material can inflict piercing battle damage to you this turn!"

"What did you say?" the Knight said, surprised. "Regardless, my monster is in Attack Position, which means if you attack, you'll lose the duel!"

"Oh, I got a plan for that," Raguel replied. "I activate Cyreath Hercules' monster effect! Monsters this card points to loses 500 attack points! Nemean Roar!"

The Knight could do nothing but watch as his monster was hit by a shockwave caused by Cyreath Hercules.

**Cracking Dragon ATK: 3000 – 500 = 2500**

"Then I activate the Spell Card Block Attack! This card lets me change the battle position of one monster you control to Defense Position! I choose Cracking Dragon!" The mechanical dragon immediately changed its battle position.

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Hercules attacks Cracking Dragon! Nemean Strike!" Cyreath Hercules jumped into the air, pulled back its right arm, and punched Cracking Dragon downwards to the ground.

"But Cracking Dragon cannot be destroyed by battle against monsters whose levels are-," then it hit him. "L-Link Monsters don't possess levels!"

The impact of the punch ended up destroying it and sending the Knight flying.

"And remember," Raguel said, "thanks to Legionnaire, you take piercing battle damage this turn!"

**Knight of Hanoi: 3400 – 2500 = 900 LP**

The Knight stood up, even though it was evident that he was in pain. "I may have lost my best monster," he said, "but I'm-!"

"Cyreath Hercules has one more monster effect!" Raguel said, interrupting the Knight. "If it destroys a monster whose attack points are different from its original attack points, you take damage equal to half the destroyed monsters original attack points!"

"Oh no!" the Knight said, realizing that he lost.

"Go, Cyreath Hercules! Nemean Rage!" Cyreath Hercules charged forward towards the Knight, with the intent to finish him off.

_Elsewhere, in LINK VRAINS…_

"Yo hero!" Go shouted as he vaulted over the fence onto the roof Playmaker was standing on. "Tonight was supposed to be my night until you surfed right in and crashed the party!"

"Chill out Go! He saved my life!" This was said by Blue Angel who jumped onto the other side of the roof. "But still, who are you really?"

"And why would you expect me to answer you?" Playmaker said. Immediately, he ran forward and teleported onto his board which he rode on as he logged out.

Go placed his fist in his other hand and growled, "He fled." The next thing he knew, there was a massive explosion a few blocks away, causing him and Blue Angel to turn in surprise. "What was that?"

_At Raguel's duel…_

The Knight screamed as he was sent flying backwards by Cyreath Hercules' punch, causing him to hit the ground, only much harder.

**Knight of Hanoi: 900 – 1500 = 0**

"You know, for a thug, your skills weren't too bad," Raguel said, disengaging his Duel Disk and his monsters fading. "But you were still weak," he said, walking towards the Knight.

"Hey, you there!"

Raguel turned towards the source of the voice. It was Go Onizuka, who was standing on a rooftop and looking down at him. Blue Angel stood beside him.

"Who are you?" Go asked him. "Are you Playmaker's ally?"

"I'm not Playmaker's ally," he answered. "And my name is Raguel." Blue Angel gasped upon hearing that.

He turned back to the Knight, who was struggling to stand up. Raguel immediately pressed a button on his Duel Disk, which released a thin metallic cord that attached itself to the Knight's Duel Disk.

"What is this?" the Knight demanded, now scared of what Raguel was going to do to him.

"This cord is designed to obtain the equipment and programs of the losing duelist," Raguel explained, as the cord glowed blue. "The encryption's strong enough that once the transfer starts, it can't be stopped." He then noticed the transfer was finished. That was fast.

"Oh, and by the way," he said, grabbing his double-barreled gun and pointing it to the Knight with his right hand, "Bullseye." The Knight could do nothing but scream as Raguel shot him in the head, causing his avatar to disintegrate into data.

E.M.S., the small, black fly Raguel dispatched to follow Playmaker, returned soon after. It dissolved into his Duel Disk and showed him the result of Playmaker's duel. _So Playmaker won. Good for him._

"You killed him," was all Blue Angel said, in response to Raguel shooting the Knight. Go said nothing but glared at him.

"No, Blue Angel," Raguel said, turning to her and Go, "I didn't kill him. All I did was delete his avatar. And if he were to log into LINK VRAINS under a new avatar, my tracer bullet will ensure he's caught by the authorities."

"Regardless, that doesn't give you the right to be judge, jury, and executioner," Go said, as he and Blue Angel both jumped down from the rooftop. He then pointed his right hand at Raguel. "And even if you're not Playmaker, I'm itching for a duel. Duel me so everyone can see the monster you really are!"

Suddenly, Go felt his ear being pulled by none other than Blue Angel. "You're not the only one who wants to duel him, you know." Blue Angel said. "Haven't you ever heard of 'Ladies First'?" The two of them immediately started arguing with each other. Unbeknownst to them, Raguel turned and walked away from them, logging out as he did so. By the time they finished arguing, they both realized he was gone.

"Damn him!" Go said. "Who does he think he is?"

"Raguel," Blue Angel said, drawing Go's attention. "From what I've heard, he's an agent in LINK VRAINS' black market. He acquires programs and equipment from the duelists he defeats and sells them on the black market. But if the mission calls for it, he can be ruthless."

"You know, for someone who named themselves after an angel of justice, they definitely don't act like one," Go said, with Blue Angel nodding her head in agreement.

_Café Matsuo's Backroom…_

Yuhiro opened his eyes. He was back in the sealed room in Café Matsuo. He leaned against the wall, the duel against the Knight having taken its toll. _Damn_, he thought. _If I'm going to start officially fighting against the Hanoi, I probably should come up with faster ways to get rid of that dragon._

He walked out of the room and saw Roxy at the computers. "Is LINK VRAINS safe?" he asked her.

"The damage is being repaired as we speak," Roxy replied, not taking her eyes off the screen. "It should be finished by tomorrow. By the way, nice duel with that Knight. It definitely gave us information regarding how they duel."

"Still," Yuhiro said, taking the seat beside Roxy, "that was only one Knight. Who knows what other decks they might have?" He took his Duel Disk off and plugged it into a port. "Oh, and your E.M.S. program did a wonderful job as always. It recorded all of Playmaker's duel."

"Of course it did," Roxy said, turning to Yuhiro. "My little flies always succeed in getting the job done." She then turned back to the screen. "But nevertheless, it pisses off that Playmaker's Speed Duel against the Knight was broadcasted across the country. All that work, for nothing."

"Your inventions are badass Roxy," Yuhiro said, attempting to comfort her. She smirked at him in response.

"Moving on, everyone knows about him now, and that he has Cyberse monsters." Roxy said, changing the subject back to Playmaker.

"Cyberse monsters?" Yuhiro said, surprised by that fact. He'd thought he was the only one who had Cyberse cards. Guess he was wrong. "Whoever Playmaker is, he's one interesting person."

"That's what the Internet's saying," Roxy said, opening a few more windows on the screen. "Luckily, there isn't any attention towards us."

"Good," Yuhiro said. "The less attention towards us, the more we can focus on our work."

Roxy was about to answer when a call came in over one of their screens. "It's our friend," she said, answering the call. A window popped up, showing a man in his 50's, with no hair and black eyes. He wore a yellow shirt with bling's, and a black suit jacket.

"And how are my two favorite workers?" the man asked on the other end.

"We're doing perfectly well, Monty," Yuhiro answered.

"Good to hear. I assume you've heard the news, yes?"

"We sure did," Roxy said. "And Yuhiro's got some nice goodies for you Monty."

"Oh good! Wonderful! Send me what you got, if you please," Monty requested.

Yuhiro opened a file in his Duel Disk, containing the programs and equipment he stole from the Knight of Hanoi. He then sent them to Monty through the black market's secure channel. "It's sent. What do you think?"

"Now this is wonderful!" Monty said. "This information will sell well on the black market. Here's your usual amount, as well as a bonus for the trouble." Yuhiro's phone vibrated, confirming that Monty sent the money to him. "Now listen up you two. I have a new job. Operation: Retrieval. And this assignment will be worth twice your usual rate."

Yuhiro's eyes widened in surprise as he glanced at Roxy. Roxy shared his surprise, only her mouth had opened as well. Monty wouldn't offer this amount unless the situation was serious.

"Who or what am I retrieving for you Monty?" Yuhiro asked him.

"It's simple," Monty answered him. "Playmaker, the duelist everyone's been talking about, is in possession of an AI belonging to SOL Technologies. I would like for you to retrieve it from him."

Yuhiro frowned. He remembered when he first saw Playmaker, claiming that he captured an AI and converted it into a duel program. _I guess that's the AI Monty's talking about,_ he thought. Which means that for him to retrieve it from Playmaker, he had to defeat him in a duel.

He smiled to himself, looking forward to the challenge. "Monty, send me everything you have on Playmaker," he said. "I'll find him and acquire that AI."

"Splendid! I wish you the best of luck!" Monty said, before ending the call.

Roxy turned to Yuhiro. "We're really doing this?"

"Yup," Yuhiro said, turning to Roxy. "I have a feeling this is going to be fun."

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Banshee (LVL: 4/Cyberse/Wind/ATK: 1400/DEF: 700)_

_Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; change its battle position. If you activate this effect, monsters you control can only attack that monster; also, if a monster you control attacks a defense position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent._

_Cyreath Legionnaire (LVL: 4/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 1700/DEF: 1000)_

_If you control a 'Cyreath' monster when this card is summoned, it is unaffected by card effects. If this card is used to Link Summon, the Link Monster that used this card as material can inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent this turn._

_Cyreath Gargoyle (LVL: 1/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)_

_This card can attack your opponent directly. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent, you can add 1 'Cyreath' Spell or Trap card from your deck to your hand._

_Cyreath Wandering Soul (LVL: 1/Cyberse/Water/ATK: 0/DEF: 0)_

_You can banish this card from your GY: Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to your side of the field (LV: 1/Cyberse/Water/ATK: 0/DEF: 0). You can only activate this effect once per duel. _

_Cyreath Hercules (LR: 3/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 2500/__↖️⬇️↗️__)_

_2 or more 'Cyreath' Monsters. Monsters this card points to lose 500 ATK. If this card destroys a monster by battle whose ATK is different from its original ATK: You can inflict damage to your opponent equal to half of the destroyed monster's original ATK._

_Crack Supply (Normal Trap Card)_

_If a monster you control isn't destroyed by battle: You can draw 2 cards from your deck._

_Cyreath Intervention (Counter Trap Card)_

_Pay 1000 LP; negate the activation of a card effect, and if you do, destroy it. _

_Crack Breaker (Quick-Play Spell Card)_

_If you control Cracking Dragon: You can target 1 Spell or Trap card your opponent controls; destroy it._

_Cyreath Treasure (Normal Spell Card)_

_Draw 2 cards, then send 1 'Cyreath' monster from your hand to the GY._

_Cyreath Salvation (Quick-Play Spell Card)_

_If a 'Cyreath' monster you control would be destroyed by a card effect: It is not destroyed. If this card is destroyed by a card effect: You can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath' monster from your hand, deck, or GY._

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 2: Duel in the Ring. Following his duel against the Knight of Hanoi, Yuhiro begins his newest and most promising assignment: to capture Playmaker's AI Program. When another Knight of Hanoi shows up in LINK VRAINS, he follows Playmaker, only to discover an unexpected lead…_

**Author's Notes**

And so, the first chapter of Obscured Truth is complete. The OC here uses a 'Cyreath' deck, which is creatures and figures based on Greek Mythology. Since the archetype doesn't exist in the real game, all of them will be my own creations. Also, all cards that appear in this fanfic will have their anime effects.

As you see here in this chapter, I've decided to expand Miyu's role in Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS: Obscured Truth. This is because, while she was the main reason Aoi teamed up with Playmaker's faction in Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS, I felt that her character development can be developed further, which is why I've decided she is one of the reasons Yuhiro is helping Roxy as a black-market agent.

Please read and review my work, as feedback is important for my work going forward. I appreciate any constructive criticism you may have, as I seek to improve my writing.


	2. Chapter 2: Duel in the Ring

**Chapter 2: Duel in the Ring**

_LINK VRAINS: Unknown Location…._

"So Playmaker escaped with the Ignis," Revolver muttered. "Specter." The moment Revolver called his name, Specter logged into the room.

"Master Revolver," Specter said. "We tried tracking Playmaker again, but we're still no closer than before to learning his real identity, even with our best hackers."

"On the contrary, Specter," Revolver said, "I believe that we're homing in on Playmaker. And there are three reasons why I'm certain it's only a matter of time. One: Only a select few duelists use Cyberse cards, so we can narrow our search. Two: We're improving our search algorithms daily, if not hourly. And three: If all else fails, Playmaker will come to me; to duel the leader of the Knights of Hanoi."

"Quite observant, sir," Specter said, bowing low.

"And I guarantee that our first meeting will be our last." Revolver smirked at himself, knowing that victory would soon be in his grasp.

_In Den Academy… _

_Damn_, Yuhiro thought. _Who knew making a Duel Board and Skill for Speed Duels would be this hard?_ Right now, he was on his tablet in his Management Accounting class, stylizing his Duel Board and creating a Skill that would best fit his Cyreath Deck. He would be watching the video between Playmaker and the Knight of Hanoi from yesterday to better understand his upcoming opponent, but Roxy insisted that he prepare for Speed Duels should the need arise.

Besides, it was certainly better than running and hopping over rooftops all day in LINK VRAINS. After all, you would eventually just get tired.

"Furutani Yuhiro, could you please tell me the difference between calculating for machine hours and calculating for assembly hours?"

The voice of Yuhiro's teacher snapped him back to the real world. He looked at the teacher as he replied, "When calculating for machine hours, you must use the Overhead and Direct Machine Hours that relates to the Machining Department. However, if you're calculating for assembly hours, you need to use the Overhead and Direct Labour Hours for the Assembly Department."

The teacher nodded as an image on the screen showcased two different formulas: One for the Machining Department Overhead Rate, and one for the Assembly Department Overhead Rate. "Smart answer, Furutani. Just like your classmate said, the formulas in calculating Machine Hours and Assembly Hours may look the same, but they're different. The trick is…"

Yuhiro ignored the teacher and sighed as he went back on his tablet. _Note to self: Beware of teachers_, he thought, as he continued to work on his Duel Board. Within a few minutes, it was finished! Yuhiro looked at the completed Duel Board. It was a white board, with red stripes and cloud-shaped accents on the edges.

He was about to continue working on his Skill when Naoki, who was sitting beside him, shouted, "It's Hanoi!" This startled Yuhiro and made him turn to Naoki. What he didn't know was that every student, especially the teacher, were all staring at Naoki.

"You better have a good reason for interrupting class, Shima!" the teacher said, clearly annoyed that his lesson was interrupted.

"Hanoi!" Naoki said. "A Knight of Hanoi has been spotted in LINK VRAINS!"

"That is no good reason to interrupt an important lesson like this!" the teacher reprimanded Naoki. "And since everyone's attention is directed towards Shima and his LINK VRAINS announcement, I have an announcement of my own. Everyone will be given out an assignment to complete, which is due by tomorrow. Only notes taken can be used. And no technology can be used!"

"What, come on!"

"Why are we all getting punished?"

"We haven't even practiced the material yet!"

The classroom was filled with multiple groans, and furious mutters mostly directed towards Naoki, who sank back into his seat as he put his tablet away. Yuhiro himself was pissed off because now he couldn't go undercover, and watch Playmaker duel the Knight. _Naoki Shima, I'm going to destroy you for this,_ he internally seethed.

Before putting his tablet away, Yuhiro sent out a quick text to Roxy informing her of the situation.

_Roxy, I'm a little busy due to a surprise assignment. Please launch the E.M.S. program and have it record Playmaker's duel against the Knight of Hanoi in LINK VRAINS,_ he texted.

He hoped that, by the time he was finished completing his assignment, that he could watch the duel on his tablet. Because if Roxy isn't able to record the duel for him for any reason, not only would he lose valuable information, but it would make his job harder as well. And the chances of him ripping Naoki a new one would skyrocket big time.

_A few hours later…._

Yuhiro walked down the path from Den Academy, annoyed with the assignment, especially with Naoki. _At least that's over with,_ he thought. He looked at his messages, with one of them being from Roxy.

_Don't worry_, the text read, _I got your back_. Attached was a video file of the duel between Playmaker and the Knight of Hanoi. Thank goodness! He pressed the play function on the video, which showed Playmaker about to confront the Knight. His excitement soon vanished when he tripped at the last set of stairs and fell, causing him to drop his tablet.

"Ow!" he said. "Guess I should've been looking ahead instead of at my tablet…"

"Are you okay?"

He looked up at the voice, seeing a girl with yellow eyes and a light-brown bob cut. Wait a minute. She looked familiar. Her name was… Zaizen! Aoi Zaizen!

"Yeah, I'm fine," Yuhiro said, standing up and rubbing the left side of his face. "Probably should've been looking ahead though."

"You dropped this, by the way," Aoi said, picking up his tablet. When she looked at it, her eyes widened with curiosity as she said, "This is…"

"I'm just watching one of Playmaker's duels," Yuhiro said, taking the tablet from Aoi. "They're interesting."

Aoi watched him put away his tablet in his backpack. "Your Duel Disk," she said, looking at his wrist, "It's a card-insert type, correct?" But that was as far as Aoi could go when Naoki suddenly showed up.

"Furutani! Zaizen!" Naoki said, panting. Both Aoi and Yuhiro turned to him.

"Who are you again? And why are you panting?" Yuhiro asked him.

"What? You forgot my name again? I told you yesterday, it's Shima! Naoki Shima!" But before Naoki could answer the second part to Yuhiro's question, a group of boys appeared.

"There he is! He's responsible for making my grade average go down!"

"Oh, boy! I gotta go!" Shima said, before running off while being chased by the group of boys.

"Well, that was weird," Aoi said, turning to Yuhiro.

"In a way," Yuhiro replied. "See you tomorrow?"

"Guess so," Aoi said, watching Yuhiro walk away from Den Academy.

_At Café Matsuo…_

After a half hour, Yuhiro reached Café Matsuo. He was going through what happened today in his head. More importantly, three things:

One: The duel between Playmaker and the Knight of Hanoi. Now he had a recording of it, he could watch it and continue learning Playmaker's duel strategies. And in doing so, he would continue to prepare for his duel against him for the AI Program.

Two: Although he had the recording, he missed the chance to watch Playmaker duel in LINK VRAINS due to Naoki's idiocy. _There's a difference between watching a recording of something, and watching it live as it actually happens,_ he thought_. By watching something that is actually going on, I can pick up certain details firsthand, whereas in a recording, I can only get a certain amount of information available._

Three: His chance meeting with Aoi Zaizen. He could tell that she was suspicious of him when she asked about his Duel Disk. Thanks to Naoki, she couldn't ask any further questions for today. But that didn't mean Yuhiro was off Aoi's radar just yet. _I need to keep my guard up around her, _he thought_, if only for a while_. Suddenly, he remembered something: Aoi was the little sister of Akira Zaizen, who is currently SOL's security chief. He used to go to Café Matsuo and buy a box of burgers for board meetings, as well as a blue-cheese burger for himself. If Aoi figured out that Yuhiro was Raguel and told Akira, then he would launch an investigation, which wouldn't be fun for anyone.

"Roxy, why are you closing up so early?" Yuhiro asked, noticing Roxy turn on the 'Closed' sign.

"Because of the duel that happened today," Roxy replied, turning to Yuhiro. Clearly, she was annoyed. "And since our rival, Café Nagi, is at Central Plaza, people decided to go buy hot dogs instead of hamburgers. Sheesh."

"Don't worry about it. It's only one day," Yuhiro said, walking with Roxy to the back room. "Tomorrow, I'm sure you'll get customers."

"Those are just words. And besides, actions speak louder than words!" Roxy opened the door to the backroom, motioning Yuhiro to enter first.

"All right," Yuhiro said, taking the seat next to Roxy's and turning on the computers. She preferred to sit closer to Café Matsuo so that, if they needed to go somewhere, she can get the van going. "By the way, I owe you one for recording the duel between Playmaker and that Knight."

"About that…" Roxy opened up a window on the monitor. When Yuhiro looked at her, she said, "I think it's best if we watch the duel before coming to conclusions." The two turned towards the monitor, which showed the recording starting up before playing.

It then showed Playmaker shooting out of a portal and landing in front of the Knight.

"You're in for a tenderizing," the Knight said to Playmaker. Ok, something was very different about this one. A usual Knight of Hanoi would taunt his enemies, but this one…

Playmaker didn't answer. Instead, someone else said, "Despite the getup, he sure doesn't sound like a Knight of Hanoi." Yuhiro recognized that voice as the same one that came from Playmaker's Duel Disk. In other words, the AI _everyone_ wanted.

"Yeah. There's something off about him." Playmaker said to the AI.

The Knight laughed as his avatar peeled away to reveal a certain Charisma Duelist. Roxy's mouth dropped, while Yuhiro was watching intently. "Your hate for the Hanoi is legendary, so I knew you couldn't resist the temptation." Of course. It was Go Onizuka. "You're not dealing with the Hanoi; now you're dealing with someone that much more dangerous!"

"And that's why I wanted to show you the recording first," Roxy said, pausing it.

"Hang on. There has to be more than this," Yuhiro said. He narrowed his eyes. "Keep playing."

The recording kept playing, showing a giant cage appearing when Playmaker tried to leave. Now he had no choice but to duel Go.

"All right Playmaker," Yuhiro whispered to himself, "how are you going to get yourself out of this mess?"

The duel between Playmaker and Go immediately began, with Go summoning Gouki Suprex and Gouki Riscorpio. Playmaker countered by summoning two Cyberse monsters with high attack points, and then cutting Go's Life Points in half. _Not too shabby, Playmaker,_ Yuhiro thought.

He was even more impressed with Go's turn, where he turned the situation around and Link Summoned Gouki the Great Ogre and set himself up to win with an OTK. Yet Playmaker survived thanks to a Trap Card that reduced Gouki the Great Ogre's attack points.

What happened next surprised Yuhiro even more. Someone opened a backdoor program that would help Playmaker escape, but he ignored it on purpose. He and Roxy smiled, realizing why Playmaker didn't escape. He had honor. Once he was in a duel, he would go through with it to the end. Go realized that as well, which made him smile.

The recording then showed Playmaker enter a Data Storm tornado and acquire a new Link Monster. From there, Playmaker performed four Link Summons in one turn, which was a huge feat. He then used three of his Link Monsters, as well as an Equip Spell card, to destroy Gouki the Great Ogre and inflict its attack to Go as damage. The recording timed out once the duel concluded.

"Wow," was all Yuhiro said. Turning to Roxy, he noticed that she was starstruck. "You enjoyed the duel just as much as I did."

"No I didn't!" Roxy suddenly said, turning to Yuhiro as she cleaned her glasses. "Okay. Yes, I did. I can't help it. These duels remind me of the ones my granddaddy used to take me to when I was little." Turning to the monitor and typing, she continued, "While I don't remember the duelist who was performing at the time, I do remember one of the cards that he used." A card image then popped up on the monitor, showing a magician wearing a white hat with white magician's clothing and a massive white cape. He also carried four golden rings as well.

"Performapal Sky Magician," Yuhiro read. While it wasn't as powerful as Roxy imagined, he had no doubt that it was certainly a useful card.

"Anyway," Roxy said, "I think that we should talk about Go Onizuka, as well as Blue Angel." She opened a window on their screens, showing two images. Yuhiro looked at them, confused.

"And why is this important?" he asked.

"Because I believe it would be a good idea to learn as much as possible about them so if they get in your way, you can kick their asses." Roxy smirked to herself upon saying those last few words.

"I say we start with Go Onizuka first. Since we watched his duel, it would be a good idea to take notes of his dueling style while it's still fresh in our heads."

"Ok." Roxy pulled up a few images of Go and his Duel Stats on the monitor. "As you know, this is Go Onizuka. Also known as the 'King of LINK VRAINS'. Unlike Blue Angel, Playmaker, or you for that matter, he uses his actual name and appearance. What does that tell you?"

"He aims to be a celebrity," Yuhiro said. "In other words, someone well-known."

"I believed that to be the case too," Roxy said, "but then I found this." Roxy opened up another window that showed the Den City Orphanage. "This is where he grew up. He volunteers there every now and then. The children there love him. In fact, a good majority of his winnings go towards supporting the orphanage. Go himself lives in a gym near the waterfront."

"You're saying it as though Go's giving back," Yuhiro said, a hand under his chin. "And it seems as though he fights for more than himself. Just like me." _I guess you're a good person after all Go Onizuka_, Yuhiro thought.

"He's also a duelist that uses an old-fashioned style of Dueling called Entertainment Style. He makes his enemies seem stronger, and then aggressively crushes them with overwhelming strength thanks to his Goukis. That's what I call a brutal beatdown!" Roxy couldn't help but smile after saying that.

"What about Blue Angel?"

"She's also an entertainer but prefers to use flashy moves and tricks. Her Trickstar deck focuses on inflicting small amounts of effect damage, and if you're not careful, BAM! You're screwed." While Yuhiro appreciated Roxy's carefree and positive attitude, this wasn't the best time to be so carefree. If these duelists were to one day be his opponents, then Yuhiro needed every ace in the hole he could get.

"Although her identity isn't known to the public, I was able to find this." Roxy opened another window, showing a girl with a light-brown bob-cut and yellow eyes. "Blue Angel is actually…"

"Aoi Zaizen!" Yuhiro said, even surprising Roxy. He hadn't seen it coming, but it all made sense now. If Aoi was looking for card-insert Duel Disk users, she'd no doubt be looking for Playmaker and challenge him to a duel.

"You know her?" Roxy said, still surprised, either that Yuhiro now knew Blue Angel's identity, or that he finally is friends with a girl. She immediately started laughing and rolling on the floor.

"She's in my Statistics class," Yuhiro answered her. "And could you stop laughing? It's not like that at all!"

"Okay, okay, fine," Roxy said, standing up and wiping a tear from her eye before sitting down on the chair.

"Say, Roxy," Yuhiro said, "Do you remember Akira Zaizen by any chance?"

Roxy smiled. "The guy in the blue suit who always bought a box of burgers for board meetings? I remember him. While I still don't see him as much, I still get pickup orders sometimes. If he does come, he usually orders two burgers: a blue-cheese and a 6 ounce. Why do you ask?"

"Zaizen is SOL's security chief now, right?" Yuhiro asked. When Roxy nodded, he turned to the screen. "If he oversees security, that means he was also responsible for the scan SOL performed to find the AI. He likely saw Playmaker's duel against the Hanoi. Meaning…"

"He's likely attempting to retrieve it for his bosses," Roxy finished for him. "Guess it's a three-way race between Hanoi, SOL, and the Black Market to find that AI."

Yuhiro then realized something: "What about the cage program and backdoor program? I need to know which SOL executive Go allied with, as well as who Playmaker's ally was."

"No info on those, I'm afraid," Roxy replied. "Why?" She then realized what Yuhiro was thinking.

"Roxy, can you send Go Onizuka a message? I want to duel him."

"I can, but why do you want me to do this?" Roxy asked.

"There are three reasons why I want to duel Go Onizuka." Yuhiro said. "One: I need to know who aided Go in his duel against Playmaker, as well as how he got that cage program. By learning who helped Go, I can determine if there are other people that want Playmaker's AI. Two: I want Playmaker to see me duel, to know I exist, and that he isn't the only one with Cyberse cards. Three," this time, he smiled, "I enjoyed seeing Go's duel, which is making me want to experience it first-hand."

"I can agree with the first reason," Roxy said. "After all, you're not the only one who doesn't want to cross paths with _her_ again." She then smiled. "But to see you actually excited to duel someone, this is another surprise to me. I'll do this for you, if you come with me to the workshop. I got something to show you."

_Café Matsuo's workshop…_

Roxy brought Yuhiro to the workshop. It was a massive room, filled with tools and machinery. It also had a few cabinets, shelves, and several seats. At the middle was a table, which had a gauntlet on it. The gauntlet was colored black, green, and gold, with the palm having a repulsor in it.

"Roxy, what is this?" Yuhiro asked, as he picked up the gauntlet. It was big enough to literally fit in his right hand.

"That, my friend, is your newest weapon against the bad guys," Roxy said, walking beside him and carrying a laptop. "I figured that, since the battle against the Knight of Hanoi, you'll need all the help you can get. Which is why I had Monty send me the program the Knights use for their Cracking Dragons. With that program, I was able to convert their power into this gauntlet."

"And how do I operate it exactly? What does it even do?"

"I knew you'd ask, which is why I prepared a video demonstration." Roxy motioned Yuhiro to watch the video on her laptop. In it, Yuhiro watched as a figure equipped the gauntlet on their right hand. From there, the figure launched a short electrical burst on a training dummy by extending their entire right hand back to reveal the repulsor, causing Yuhiro to widen his eyes. The figure then flipped a switch on the gauntlet with his left hand, causing it to be loosened, which let them take it off. In other words, the key to operating the gauntlet was in hand movements.

"Wow. I didn't expect this. My only concern is if I'm in a duel. Would I accidentally electrocute myself if I draw cards from my deck?"

"Rest assured. There's padding on the fingers that will only slide up when you're electrocuting someone," Roxy answered. "And since it was based off of Cracking Dragon, I was thinking of calling it 'The Cracker'."

Yuhiro couldn't help but snicker. The Cracker? Really?

"It was either that, or the Zapper." Roxy said, shaking Yuhiro out of his thoughts. "I've already downloaded the gauntlet into your Duel Disk. You go get ready for you duel against Go Onizuka; I'll send the message." Yuhiro was about to run off when she said, "Oh, and the more powerful monsters you fight against, the more gauntlets I can make for you." Yuhiro nodded as he ran to the closed-off space. He entered the closed-off space, pulled out his deck from his jacket, and placed it into his Duel Disk. "Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!"

_At the Waterfront…_

After logging out, Go was practically surprised to see the children from the orphanage there. According to the owner, they wanted to cheer him up, and let him know that he was still their champion. He played with them for a while and promised that he would go see them tomorrow. Once the kids left, Go's manager approached him.

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better," he said. "But I'm afraid there's one more matter that needs to be taken off of the agenda for today." The manager handed a tablet to Go. Upon looking at it, he was surprised.

"Raguel wants to meet me?" Go said. He remembered Raguel. He defeated a Knight of Hanoi, stole his equipment and programs, and then shot him in the head. "What does he want with me?"

"I'm not sure," the manager replied. "But it might have something to do with your duel against Playmaker. What do you think?"

Go thought for a minute and then said, "Maybe. Still, I'm curious as to what Raguel wants. Tell him that the champion will meet him in LINK VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS…_

Raguel looked at his right arm while waiting for Go on a rooftop. It was outfitted with the Cracker gauntlet that was in Roxy's workshop. _This does fit like a glove_, he thought. Just then, a portal opened, with Go Onizuka jumping out of it and landing on the same rooftop Raguel was on.

"So, what does a black-market agent want from me?" Go asked, getting straight to the point. It was clear that he was still harbouring some contempt for Raguel following their previous encounter.

"The SOL executive who gave you the Cage program," Raguel said, turning to him. "I want to know who helped you."

"What business is that of yours?"

"Definitely not yours," Raguel said, keeping a straight face.

Go growled. "The last time I saw you, you acted as judge, jury and executioner. I don't see why I should help someone who murders and steals for their own benefit."

"You want to know something Go? I don't do those things for my own benefit." When Go raised an eyebrow, he continued, "I fight for more than just myself. I fight for someone else too. Someone I hope I can finally meet one day." Go's eyes widened in surprise at that. "But perhaps there's another way I can drive my point home."

"A duel?" Go asked.

"Yes. I heard that duelists mainly communicate how they feel in a duel. Plus, your duel against Playmaker was entertaining. So here's what I was thinking: If I win, you tell me which SOL executive provided you with the cage program. However, if you win, I'll cease my black-market activities immediately."

Go's eyes widened in surprise for a second time. "You'd really do that?"

"Yes," Raguel replied. "Do you accept the challenge?"

Go smiled. "Of course. Bring it on!"

The two duelists rode the date stream, with Go riding up front in his board, and Raguel riding his on the back.

"Speed Duel!" the two of them shouted.

**Go Onizuka: 4000 LP**

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

"Since I'm in front, I'll take the first turn!" Go said, waving his hand in front of him to see his cards. "I Set one card, and summon Gouki Suprex!" A blue ogre with claws on his hands and a long blue tail appeared on his field.

**Gouki Suprex ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

"I activate Suprex's effect! Since it was Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon one 'Gouki' monster from my hand! I summon Gouki Riscorpio!" A red ogre with scorpion claws and a scorpion tail also appeared on Go's field.

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 2300 DEF: 0 LVL: 5**

"Come forth! My circuit!" Go said. He shot a burst of energy from his hand, which formed a portal that he traveled through. Raguel watched this intently. Was Link Summoning during Speed Duels different?

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two 'Gouki' monsters! I set Gouki Suprex and Riscorpio into the Link Markers!" The two Goukis traveled through the circuit he was facing and entered the left and bottom Link Markers.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Fly into battle! Link 2! Gouki Jet Ogre!" A purple ogre with red bushy hair joined Go's field. It wore metallic shin guards and had a massive jetpack on it's back. It also carried a musketeer's sword on its right hand.

**Gouki Jet Ogre ATK: 2000 LINK-2 ****⬅️⬇️**

"I activate the effects of Gouki Suprex and Riscorpio in my Graveyard!" Go said. "Now I can add 'Gouki' cards besides themselves from my Deck to my hand." He added Gouki Re-Match and another copy of Gouki Suprex to his hand. "Next, I activate Gouki Re-Match. This card lets me summon two 'Gouki' monsters from my Graveyard in Defense Position, as long as they have different levels. Return, Gouki Suprex and Gouki Riscorpio!" The blue and red ogre reappeared on Go's field in Defense Position, with Jet Ogre pointing to Suprex.

**Gouki Suprex ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 2300 DEF: 0 LVL: 5**

"I end my turn," Go concluded. "Now show me what you got, Raguel!"

"Oh, what's this?" the MC said. "Go Onizuka has started another duel! This one with someone who identifies himself as Raguel!"

At a hotdog cart in the Den City Plaza, a boy with dark blue hair and light blue bangs with pink accents, looked up at the television screen. It showed Go and his opponent, a duelist with grey eyes wearing a long, dark blue coat with a black jumpsuit and what appears to be a white-ruby pendent. He also had what looked like a mechanical gauntlet on his right arm. The duelist's hair was of an aquamarine color, and it was stylized upwards as well.

"Who is Go dueling Kusanagi?" the boy, Yusaku Fujiki asked the man working at the hotdog cart. Kusanagi, an older man with purple hair, a small goatee, and grey eyes, answered him.

"Raguel," he said. "He's an agent on LINK VRAINS' black market."

"Then why is he dueling Go?" Yusaku asked.

_At the duel…._

"My turn!" Raguel said. "I draw! I Set two cards face-down and summon Cyreath Legionnaire from my hand!" The muscular man in golden armor, shin pads, braces, and helmet with red feathers appeared on his field. He carried a small sword and massive shield.

**Cyreath Legionnaire** **ATK: 1700 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Cyreath?" Go said, surprised. "That's a Cyberse monster, correct?"

"You bet it is," Raguel replied. Back at the hotdog stand, Yusaku, who was really Playmaker, narrowed his eyes.

"He's in possession of Cyberse monsters? I thought I was the only one…"

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel fired a burst of energy into the sky, which created the Link Portal that he flew through. He hovered above it with Cyreath Legionnaire.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is one 'Cyreath' monster! I set Cyreath Legionnaire in the Link Marker!" Legionnaire went into the bottom marker, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"I activate Scorpius' effect!" Raguel declared. "Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Legionnaire!" Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Legionnaire grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Legionnaire** **ATK: 1700 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"I activate my face-down Trap card, Gouki Challenge!" Go said. The card showed Gouki Suprex challenging Gouki the Great Ogre to a wrestling match. "The monsters you summoned this turn must attack 'Gouki' monsters I control. Otherwise, you take damage equal to the number of 'Gouki' monsters I control times 500!" Go smirked at Raguel.

"Is that so?" Raguel said, smiling back at Go. "Then I accept your challenge! Battle! Cyreath Scorpius attacks Gouki Suprex! And since Legionnaire was used to Link Summon Scorpius, you take piercing battle damage!" Scorpius charged at Suprex and slashed the blue ogre with its large pincers, before stabbing it with its long tail and turning it into particles.

**Go Onizuka: 4000 – 1000 = 3000 LP**

"Alright, Cyreath Legionnaire! Attack Gouki Riscorpio!" Legionnaire jumped towards Riscorpio and blocked the red ogre's attacks, before impaling it with it's sword and destroying it.

The explosion caused Go to wince a bit, before regaining his balance.

"I'm not finished! By sending Cyreath Pixie from my hand to the Graveyard, I can inflict 500 points of damage to you!" A small, female creature with red hair wearing a green dress and having green wings fired its wand at Go, causing him to fall to his knees on his Duel Board.

**Go Onizuka: 3000 – 500 = 2500 LP**

"And Go Onizuka is in a serious situation!" the MC commented. "His opponent destroyed his Gouki's and inflicted a total of 1500 points of damage to him! How will he recover?" Yusaku just watched, a bored expression on his face.

Raguel watched Go. He knew what he was doing, and he couldn't help but smile. The real show was about to begin.

"Go Onizuka is down for the count!" the MC said. "Let's give him a three count! One! Two!" Suddenly, Go stood up and laughed. "He got up! He's still in this!"

"The effects of both Suprex and Riscorpio activate!" Go declared. "As they were sent to the Graveyard, I can add 'Gouki' cards beside themselves from my deck to my hand. I'll add Gouki Twistcobra and Gouki Battle Halberd!"

Go raised his right hand as he said, "Power… I can feel power surging through my hand. I'VE. GOT. THE. POWER!" The gold outlines on his coat glowed as he said, "I activate my Skill! Fighting Spirt! All 'Gouki' monsters destroyed in battle are Special Summoned from my Graveyard!" Suprex and Riscorpio reappeared on his field.

**Gouki Suprex ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 2300 DEF: 0 LVL: 5**

"I'm not done my turn!" Raguel said. "I activate Cyreath Treasure from my hand, which lets me draw 2 cards. But in exchange, I must send 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand to the Graveyard!" He drew the top two cards of his deck and sent Cyreath Wandering Soul to the Graveyard.

"I end my turn," Raguel concluded.

"Not too bad," Go said. "You've almost cut my Life Points in half in a single turn. Now it's time for me to respond in kind. I draw! I summon Gouki Twistcobra!" A green ogre with four limbs joined the other four ogre's on Go's Field. Two of the limbs ended with hands and the other two ended in sharp points, with two snake trails trailing from its head.

**Gouki Twistcobra ATK: 1600 DEF: 0 LVL: 3**

_Three Gouki monsters,_ Raguel thought. _He'll only need three of them, hell, maybe even two of them to summon his ace monster…._

"Come forth! My circuit! Go said. Another blast of energy was shot from Go's hand, as he and his Gouki's flew through the portal that he created.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two or more 'Gouki' monsters! I'll set Gouki Jet Ogre, which is a Link-2 monster, and Gouki Suprex, in the Link Markers!" Jet Ogre split in half, entering the bottom-left and bottom right arrowheads around the portal, while Suprex entered the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Show yourself! Link 3! Gouki the Great Ogre!" A massive warrior with horns atop of his head emerged from the portal. He wore black and purple armor with a dark brown fur cape draped from his shoulders. The Great Ogre carried a large battle axe as it was summoned to the Extra Monster Zone, pointing to Twistcobra and Riscorpio.

**Gouki the Great Ogre ATK: 2600 LINK-3** ↙️⬇️↘️

"The effect of Gouki Jet Ogre activates! As it was sent to the Graveyard, all 'Gouki' monsters I control gain 500 attack points until the end of the turn!" The Great Ogre, Twistcobra, and Riscorpio were surrounded in a red aura as their strength increased.

**Gouki the Great Ogre ATK: 2600 + 500 = 3100**

**Gouki Twistcobra ATK: 1600 + 500 = 2100**

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 2300 + 500 = 2800**

"Next, I activate the Equip Spell card, Gouki Battle Halberd, and equip it onto Gouki the Great Ogre!" The card showed The Great Ogre wielding a massive weapon, compared to its battle axe. "This card boosts The Great Ogre's attack by it's Link Rating times 500!"

_Uh-oh_, Raguel thought, as he saw The Great Ogre pick up the Battle Halberd. _I'm in trouble now._

**Gouki the Great Ogre ATK: 3100 + (500 X 3) = 4600**

"Now to sweeten the deal! I activate Gouki the Great Ogre's monster effect! All monsters on the field lose attack points equal to their defense points! Ogre Roar!" The Great Ogre roared at Raguel and his monsters; although Scorpius was safe, Legionnaire felt the shockwave and was pushed back.

**Cyreath Legionnaire** **ATK: 1700 – 1000 = 700**

"Battle!" Go declared. "Gouki the Great Ogre, you're up first! Attack Cyreath Legionnaire with Gouki Halberd Slash!" The Great Ogre charged forward and was about to slice Legionnaire in two, when…

"Quick-Play Spell, activate! Cyreath Rebound!" The card showed Cyreath Hercules protecting Cyreath Goblin, Cyreath Rushing Skeleton, and Cyreath Miner from an enemy. "This card negates the attack, and then inflicts damage to you equal to half of your attacking monster's attack points!" Legionnaire pushed back The Great Ogre using its shield, and then jumped out of the way as a blue laser blasted out of the card and hit Go, causing him to almost lose control of his Duel Board.

**Go Onizuka: 2500 – 2300 = 200 LP**

"Why, you-!" Go said. "Twistcobra's effect! By tributing a 'Gouki' monster I control, one 'Gouki' monster gains attack points equal to the tributed 'Gouki' monsters original attack points until the end of the turn! I'll tribute Twistcobra and increase Riscorpio's attack points!"

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 2800 + 1600 = 4400**

"Battle! Riscorpio attacks Cyreath Legionnaire!" Riscorpio charged at Legionnaire and grabbed its sword and shield using its massive pincers, before stabbing the warrior with its tail and destroying it. The result was an explosion that pushed Raguel back, causing him to steady his Duel Board.

**Raguel: 4000 – 3700 = 300 LP**

"Guess we're almost on even playing field now!" Go said. "I end my turn. Since my turn is over, the effects of Jet Ogre and Twistcobra end, lowering my 'Gouki's attack points to normal."

**Gouki the Great Ogre ATK: 4600 – 500 = 4100**

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 4400 – 1600 – 500 = 2300**

"And look at that!" the MC said. "Even though Go lost almost all his Life Points, he's managed to push Raguel to the danger zone! Now this is going to be a match for the history books, kids!"

"You know, that MC makes some crazy comments," Kusanagi said. "Yusaku, do you think Raguel has a change to win?"

"Yeah. I actually want to know myself," the AI in Yusaku's Duel Disk said.

"Although Raguel doesn't have many Life Points left, I believe he has a change to win. For three reasons: One," Yusaku held up a finger, "throughout this duel, Raguel's been using Cyberse cards. That alone tells me he's no ordinary duelist. Two," Yusaku held up a second finger, "we have yet to see him use his Skill in this Speed Duel. Once he uses his Skill, I believe the duel will turn in his favor. Three," Yusaku held up a third finger, "Raguel still has Life Points, a face-down card, and a monster on his field. Should he play his cards right this turn, he'll win."

"Oi, Yuhiro!" Roxy said through Raguel's earpiece. "Are you sure you can win this? After all, you're facing against tough odds."

"Of course I can win, Roxy," Raguel said. "There's too much at stake. If I lose, any chance of seeing Miyu awake one day will be gone through the wind."

"AND THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE AGREED TO CEASE YOUR ASSIGNMENTS IF YOU LOST, YOU BLOCKHEAD!" Roxy practically shouted in Raguel's earpiece.

"It was the only way to prove to Go that I was being serious. After all, at least I have more Life Points than Playmaker did." Roxy laughed at that. Although Yuhiro was losing, at least he was faring better than Playmaker did when he dueled Go.

"Hey!" Go interrupted Raguel's conversation. "Are you going to make your move or not?"

"Apologies, Go," Raguel said. "I was just finishing a conversation with a friend. But since you want me to take my turn, then I guess I shall! I draw! Scorpius' effect! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. You're up, Cyreath Legionnaire!" Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal once again, with Legionnaire grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and returning to the field.

**Cyreath Legionnaire** **ATK: 1700 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"You haven't forgot about The Great Ogre's effect, right? Ogre Roar!" Go declared. Legionnaire was pushed back by a shockwave for a second time.

**Cyreath Legionnaire** **ATK: 1700 – 1000 = 700**

"I activate the effect of Cyreath Wandering Soul from my Graveyard! By banishing it from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"There's no point in using The Great Ogre's effect, as this monster has no attack or defense points to begin with!" Go gritted his teeth.

"And now, I activate my Skill, Call of Olympus!" The red lining on Raguel's coat, as well as the x-shaped lines on his jumpsuit glowed. "I can Special Summon 1 random 'Cyreath' monster from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck. When Raguel looked at the card, he smiled. "Through my Skill, I call on Cyreath Rushing Skeleton!" A small skeleton carrying a bomb joined the field, looking very antsy.

**Cyreath Rushing Skeleton: ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Also, since I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand! I know, this one!" Raguel added Cyreath Empowerment to his hand.

"I hope you realize that The Great Ogre's effect will still kick in, no matter what monster you summon," Go said. Thrusting his left hand, he shouted, "Ogre Roar!" The Great Ogre roared for the third time, pushing Rushing Skeleton back.

**Cyreath Rushing Skeleton: ATK: 1000 – 1000 = 0**

"Appear," Raguel said, "the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Once again, Raguel created another portal by firing energy at the sky, in which he and his Cyreath monsters flew through.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I set the Cyreath Wanderer token and Cyreath Legionnaire in the Link Markers!" The Wanderer token entered the top Link Arrow around the portal, while Legionnaire entered the bottom Link Arrow.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Ride into battle! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"Now I summon Cyreath Barbarian!" A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined its Cyreath companions on the field. And sure enough, The Great Ogre roared, causing a shockwave to hit Barbarian.

**Cyreath Barbarian: ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

**Cyreath Barbarian: ATK: 1500 – 1000 = 500**

"Appear, for a final time," Raguel said, "the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel created one last portal by firing energy at the sky and entered it with his remaining Cyreath monsters.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I set Cyreath Barbarian, Cyreath Rushing Skeleton, and Cyreath Scorpius, which is a Link-1 monster, in the Link Markers!" Barbarian entered the top-left Link Marker, Scorpius entered the bottom Link Marker, and Rushing Skeleton entered the top-right Link Marker.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link-3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal and was summoned to the Extra Monster Zone Chariot Commander was pointing to. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3** ↖️⬇️↗️

"Wow," was all Go could say. He then smiled: A Clash of the Titans. How could anyone resist seeing that?

"Barbarian's effect!" Raguel said. "Since it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned Monster that used this card as material gains 500 attack points!"

**Cyreath Hercules: ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000**

"Chariot Commander's effect! When a monster is summoned to a zone this card points to, I can destroy 1 card you control! And I'll choose Gouki Battle Halberd!" Chariot Commander threw a fireball at Gouki Battle Halberd, causing it to be alit in flames. This forced The Great Ogre to drop it, as both it and the card itself turned to particles soon after. Go was shocked upon seeing this.

**Gouki The Great Ogre ATK: 4100 – 1500 = 2600**

"Cyreath Hercules' effect! Monsters this card points to loses 500 attack points! Nemean Roar!"

The resulting shockwaves managed to hit both Chariot Commander and Gouki Riscorpio.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 – 500 = 1500**

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 2300 – 500 = 1800**

"I activate my Spell Card, Cyreath Empowerment!" The card showed Cyreath Hercules, Cyreath Barbarian, and Cyreath Archer being bathed in the warm sun. "By tributing 1 'Cyreath' monster, another 'Cyreath' monster has its attack and defense points doubled until the end of the turn! I'll tribute Chariot Commander, so I can double Hercules' strength!" Chariot Commander vanished into particles, which were absorbed by Hercules as he became stronger. Much stronger.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 3000 + 3000 = 6000**

"Battle! Cyreath Hercules! Attack Gouki the Great Ogre!" Both Hercules and The Great Ogre charged at each other, with The Great Ogre swinging its axe while Hercules threw a massive right punch, neither side giving in.

"I activate The Great Ogre's effect!" Go said. "If the Great Ogre were to be destroyed by battle, I can destroy one of the monsters it points to instead! I choose Riscorpio!"

"Continuous-Spell card, activate! Grapple-Snatch!" Raguel said. The card showed a male figure launching a wire at a creature and reeling it in. "This lets me target 1 monster you control and prevent it from attacking, as well as activating its effects as long as this card is on the field!" Suddenly, a thin metallic cord shot out of the card and snaked its way around The Great Ogre, slicing and dicing it until it had lots of wounds.

"That's not good!" Go said. "Wait. That means-!"

"The duel is finished, Go! End this Cyreath Hercules! Nemean Strike!" Hercules pushed The Great Ogre back so hard that its axe broke. He then charged forward and delivered an uppercut to the Great Ogre with enough force that it caused a massive explosion, throwing Go off his Duel Board and onto a nearby rooftop.

**Go Onizuka: 200 – 3400 = 0**

"And the match is finished!" the MC declared. "The winner is Raguel!"

"Well, guess you were right, Yusaku," Kusanagi said.

"I guess so," Yusaku said. "Still, I am curious. How did he get Cyberse monsters?"

"Does it really matter?" the AI in Yusaku's Duel Disk asked.

"Yes. Yes it does," Yusaku replied to the AI.

_In LINK VRAINS..._

"Go!" Raguel cried out, as he landed on the same rooftop Go was on. He ran over to Go and shook his body. "You okay?" Suddenly, Go started laughing, which confirmed he was okay.

"I lost," Go said. "But that duel, was just as fun as the one with Playmaker, if not better." He stood up right away, looking unharmed, even though he was flung off a Duel Board moments earlier due to an explosion.

"I have to say," Raguel said, "your dueling tactics were very impressive. I guess that's why you're #1 in LINK VRAINS."

"So were yours, Raguel," Go said. The two of them shared a laugh, after which Go continued, "While I may not approve of what you do, I do understand why you're doing it. I can tell, during that final clash between Hercules and the Great Ogre, that you really were fighting for someone else."

"Thank you," Raguel said. He then realized something: "Since I won, do you think you can tell me who gave you the cage program?"

Apparently, Go forgot that too, because he said, "I almost forgot! My mistake. Akira Zaizen, SOL's security chief, approached me to defeat Playmaker and acquire his AI program for him." That pretty much confirmed Raguel's suspicions. But at least he got a duel out of it.

"By the way," Go whispered to Raguel, "Is this person you're fighting for a girl? Is she someone special in your life?"

Raguel's face turned red in surprise as he said, "It's complicated." Go immediately laughed upon hearing him say that.

"Anyway, I need to get going." Raguel turned around and was about to log out when Go asked him a question.

"Hey Raguel, will we meet again?" Go asked, crossing his arms.

Raguel turned to face Go. "If I can be honest, I got a good feeling we will. See ya." He logged out shortly after, leaving Go alone on the rooftop.

Yuhiro existed the sealed room, a look of exhaustion on his face. He would have fallen over had Roxy not caught him.

"Easy, Yuhiro," Roxy said. "You look like you're exhausted."

"Well, obviously," Yuhiro replied with a smirk on his face. Roxy rolled her eyes as she helped Yuhiro to his chair. Once he looked comfortable, Roxy sat down on her chair.

"I overheard what Go said. It was Akira Zaizen, wasn't it?" Roxy asked.

"It was," Yuhiro replied, turning to Roxy. "But I needed to be absolutely sure of what we're up against if we're going to get that AI program before SOL or Hanoi does." He then looked down as he continued: "I'm sorry, Roxy." This caused Roxy to turn to Yuhiro. "I almost lost everything. Our jobs at the black-market, and the chance to see Miyu smile again." To his surprise, Roxy put a hand on his right shoulder, causing him to look up at her.

"I understand why you did it," Roxy said. "But still," she pinched Yuhiro's cheek, "it was a reckless act. Promise me you won't do something like that again without consulting with me first." The look Roxy gave Yuhiro showed him that she wasn't joking.

"Alright. I promise," Yuhiro said. There was no point arguing with her when she was like this, nor when she gave him 'the look'. "Just please let go." Roxy let go after Yuhiro said that.

"You had fun today in your duel, didn't you?" Roxy asked. "And what Go said to you before you logged out? It's true, isn't it?"

Yuhiro's face turned red for a second time as he said, "Roxanne Matsuo. Are you seriously teasing me? Stop…" Roxy was laughing when Yuhiro had an idea.

"Say, Roxy, do you still have that package of spare food and clothing?"

_The next morning, at the waterfront…._

Go returned to his home at the gym after completing a long jog around the waterfront. According to his manager, jogging can clear one's mind of the stresses they faced yesterday. Not only was it also a way to improve cardiovascular fitness, it can help improve one's mood as well.

"Ah Go," his manager said, opening the door seeing that Go returned, "how was your jog?"

"It was good," Go replied, heading inside and grabbing a towel. "Say, I'm starving. Is breakfast ready?"

"Yes. Eggs with fruit, sausage and toast, as you requested." Go's manager walked with Go upstairs to the kitchen as Go sat down and started eating. The manager was looking through the tablet containing Go's activities for the day.

"Pardon me for interrupting your meal," Go's manager said, "but while you were out, a delivery came for you."

"Really?" Go said. This made him curious enough to stop eating. "Where's the package?"

The manager led him to another room in the gym. "I didn't know where else to put the package, sir."

"Don't worry about it," Go said, picking up the package, "I'll take over from here. He brought the package to the main area and then opened it. Inside was a note, which read:

_Go Onizuka. You're not the only one who helps others out. _

_From, Raguel._

When Go further opened the box, his eyes widened in shock. Inside the package was spare clothing and food!

"You're still planning on visiting the orphanage today, correct?" Go's manager asked.

"I am. Could you leave me alone for a quick minute?" After Go's manager left, he smiled as he looked inside the box.

_You know Raguel,_ he thought, _maybe I misjudged you at the beginning. I look forward to our next meeting!_

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Pixie (LV: 2/Cyberse/Light/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)_

_When a monster your opponent controls is destroyed by battle: You can send this card from your hand to the GY; inflict 500 damage to your opponent._

_Cyreath Barbarian (LV: 4/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000)_

_If this card is used to Link Summon a monster, the Link Summoned monster that uses this card as material gains 500 ATK._

_Cyreath Rushing Skeleton (LV: 4/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)_

_If this card attacks a monster with higher ATK: You can destroy this card, and if you do, destroy your opponent's monster without applying battle damage. _

_Cyreath Chariot Commander (LR: 2/Cyberse/Fire/ATK: 2000/__⬆️⬇️__)_

_2 'Cyreath' monsters. When a monster is summoned to a zone this card points to: You can destroy 1 card your opponent controls. If this card attacks a monster your opponent controls, it cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects until the end of the turn._

_Cyreath Scorpius (LR: 1/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1000/__⬇️__)_

_1 'Cyreath' monster. Once per turn, if you control no 'Cyreath' monsters other than this card: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from your GY to a zone this card points to._

_Cyreath Empowerment (Normal Spell Card)_

_Tribute 1 'Cyreath' monster you control; until the End Phase, one 'Cyreath' monster you control has its ATK and DEF doubled._

_Grapple-Snatch (Continuous-Spell Card)_

_Target 1 monster your opponent controls; it cannot attack, nor activate its effects while this card is on the field._

_Gouki Battle Halberd (Equip-Spell Card)_

_A 'Gouki' Link monster equipped with this card gains ATK equal to its Link Rating X 500. If this card is in the GY: You can discard 1 card; add this card to your hand._

_Gouki Challenge (Normal Trap Card)_

_Effect: If your opponent Normal or Special Summons a monster, they must attack 'Gouki' monsters you control with that monster. Otherwise, during the End Phase: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the number of 'Gouki' monsters you control X 500._

**QOTC**

_Would you like to see Pendulum Summoning in this story?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 3: The Dancho. Now knowing that SOL officially wants the AI Program, in order to complete their assignment, Roxy has Yuhiro polish his duel skills by having him do the one thing he doesn't want to do. Meanwhile, Revolver, concerned with how strong Raguel's becoming, calls upon an ally to deal with him sternly…_

**Responses to Reviews and Author's Notes**

Thank you to ZarcEternal, animegamefanatic, savagemaster1999, Lightning, Guest, and SSJ shadow for reviewing the first chapter of Obscured Truth.

Based on the reviews from last chapter, there are concerns that this story is too much like Hidden Memories. I'm just going to put this out there: This story wasn't inspired by Hidden Memories, nor is it going to be a copy/paste of it. I wouldn't copy someone else's story, as not only is it plagiarism, it's completely unethical. I also have complete respect for scififan99. I have plans for this story to be unique and distinct from the others. This is due to different OC's I plan on introducing throughout the story, and I believe you'll like them. I'll also change a few duels around as well. So stay tuned. And if I've offended any of you, then I apologize.

I've started up QOTC's, which basically stands for Question of the Chapter. This is your chance to tell me what you personally want to see in the story, how you felt, etc. The QOTC will change with each chapter.

ZarcEternal: Thank you for your complete honesty. While it is a little similar to the start of the anime (where Yusaku interacts with Naoki) I have different plans for this story. If you stick with this story, then I can promise that it's originality will help make it unique, which will make it a more enjoyable story.

Animegamefanatic: Rest assured, Windy's partner and Miyu will have proper roles in this story.

Savagemasater1999: I'm glad you like Cyreath Hercules. I do hope you enjoyed seeing Scorpius and Chariot Commander in the story. And stay tuned, as these monsters aren't the only ones Raguel has at his disposal.

Lightning: I've also seen you comment on Hidden Memories. As mentioned above, this story isn't inspired by Hidden Memories. I plan for it to be different in unique ways. How, I can't tell you, but if you stick with the story, then I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it.

Guest: Thanks for your honesty as well. As mentioned above, this story will have originality in it (ex. I'm giving Miyu a proper role in the story. I'm also planning on throwing in a few surprises as well). I will do my best to make it more original with each chapter, so for that, I tip my hat to you.

SSJ Shadow: I don't see Yuhiro as Windy's partner. I however do appreciate you bringing up Windy's partner, as I originally didn't have plans to bring him in. How I will bring him in, I cannot say. So stay tuned.

Please continue posting reviews for each chapter, as I strive to improve with each chapter. If you have questions, don't hesitate to put them in your reviews as well.


	3. Chapter 3: The Dancho

**Chapter 3: The Dancho**

_At the Den City Hospital... _

"Good evening, I'm here to see Miyu Sugisaki. My... My name is Yuhiro Furutani." Yuhiro said to the female receptionist.

The female receptionist nodded and checked the computer for confirmation. Yuhiro felt himself becoming more nervous as she continued scrolling through the list of visitors. He was also anxious because he hadn't seen Miyu in a while; Roxy would usually be the one to visit her, but he insisted on going since she was tired for the day. On the way there, he also bought Miyu flowers.

"Ah, yes, here it is," the receptionist said, catching Yuhiro's attention. "I'll call a doctor to accompany you to Miyu."

Yuhiro nodded, and soon after, a doctor emerged from the hallway and led him to Miyu's room.

"Miss Sugisaki's state is a mystery," the doctor explained. While Yuhiro already knew what was going on with her, he nodded, pretending to be curious. "She was brought here after a traffic collision. Apparently, the trauma was so great that she fell into a coma by the time she made it to the hospital."

_It wasn't just that accident, you son of a bitch,_ Yuhiro thought. _The Lost Incident scarred her as well..._ Unbeknownst to Yuhiro, he was clutching the flowers tightly.

The doctor apparently noticed Yuhiro's tension, as he decided to drop the matter.

"Well son, here she is," the doctor said, opening the door to a room. In the room was a teenage girl on a bed with her eyes closed, sleeping. She had long hair, with it reaching up to her nape and having a side bang on each side of her head. She only wore the Den City Hospital Gown, ever since the day she first arrived.

"I'll leave you too alone," the doctor said. After the doctor left, Yuhiro sat down on the chair beside the bed and took Miyu's hand in his, squeezing it in sadness.

"Hey Miyu," he whispered. "It's me. It's Yuhiro."

Miyu didn't respond. She never responded to anyone. Despite this, the medical tests the doctors did on her showed that she was still alive, but barely.

"I brought you flowers," he said, placing them in the water glass by her bed. "Roxy says hi, you know. She... she misses you." Yuhiro struggled to get that last part out.

Miyu didn't answer or acknowledge him. Yuhiro was used to this, although it still made him sad that she wouldn't respond to him. _The Lost Incident took away her chance at enjoying a simple life,_ Yuhiro thought.

"I've been given a new assignment," Yuhiro told her. "My boss assigned me to duel Playmaker and retrieve his AI program. I'm not sure how I'll draw him out. But I'm sure Roxy and I will figure something out." He caressed Miyu's cheek.

"I won't give up on you, Miyu," Yuhiro said, now starting to cry. "What Roxy and I are doing; we're going to bring the guys who did this to you to justice. I promise. And maybe, someday..." Yuhiro couldn't finish, as he was crying. After a few minutes, he wiped the tears, and pulled the covers over Miyu's chest. He placed her arm around her chest in order to secure the covers from moving.

Yuhiro stood up and walked away but stopped at the front door and turned to her one last time.

"You know what's weird," Yuhiro said. "Ever since Playmaker appeared, and ever since that dream, I have this feeling that nothing is going to be the same anymore. Whether it's for the best or for the worst, I promise you that I will continue fighting for you. To one day see you and Roxy together again, smiling and happy."

_At the Hanoi Stronghold..._

Revolver was both concerned and thrilled as he watched the duel between Raguel and Go Onizuka. To him, it was strange feeling both emotions at the same time, but that was what was going on with the Hanoi leader.

On one hand, he was thrilled seeing Raguel's impressive plays using his Cyreath cards. They were signs of him getting stronger, and Revolver himself wanted to duel him to see how strong he got.

On the other hand, Raguel's growing strength was a concern for him. If he were to join up with Playmaker and stand against the Knights of Hanoi, then they would have not one, but two problems to deal with, in addition to finding the Ignis. Luckily, Revolver had a way to kill two birds with one stone, and he knew the right guy to do the task.

Specter logged in, alongside a man who was slightly shorter than him and had thin grey hair on his scalp. The man wore a white coat with a green trim, a white suit, and white boots. On the left side of his face was a gray, yellow, green, and red mask.

"Master Revolver," Specter said, bowing low. "I have brought Dancho. As you requested."

"Thank you, Specter," Revolver said. "Check on the progress of our little project. Once you have, report back to me. Until then, leave us."

"Understood." Specter bowed low once again before logging out, leaving the two individuals alone in the Hanoi Stronghold.

"Thank you for coming, Dancho," Revolver said, turning to the individual and holding his hand out, intending to shake his.

"It is of no problem, old friend," Dancho said, walking forward and shaking Revolver's hand. "Anyway, I see there's a duelist that needs to be disciplined. What can I do to help?"

Revolver turned towards the monitor. "Dancho, when you look at this monitor, what do you see?" Revolver asked.

Dancho looked at the monitor, which showed Raguel dueling a Knight of Hanoi. "I see someone who's been able to defeat my students," he said. "Someone that is meddling with the Hanoi's affairs. I most certainly believe he needs to be disciplined."

"Can you do it?" Revolver asked, starting to show concern for the Dancho. "His strength is growing with each duel, and he might be-."

Dancho started laughing, to Revolver's surprise. "Of course I can." He placed a hand on Revolver's shoulder. "Just provide me with everything you know about this individual and I'll dispose of him."

Revolver smiled. "Very well. But the matter needs to be settled in LINK VRAINS. Since we don't know his real identity, we must take every precaution we can."

_The next morning, at Café Matsuo..._

"Good morning, Roxy," Yuhiro said, pouring himself and Roxy a cup of coffee. The two of them were in the kitchen, just above Café Matsuo, eating breakfast. Roxy's house had four levels: the bottom was Café Matsuo, the second was a combination of the living and dining room, and the third floor contained the kitchen and a guest bedroom. Yuhiro shared the fourth floor with Roxy.

"Morning to you too, Yuhiro," Roxy said, typing on her laptop. Yuhiro brought a cup of coffee to Roxy while she was typing and eating what looked like toast. When Yuhiro looked at the toast and raised an eyebrow, she replied, "I was lazy. What could I say?"

"Uh-huh," Yuhiro said, eating his breakfast, which was simple: a banana and yogurt with blueberry tarts. For him, it filled him up with energy for the day. At least until the lunch period.

"By the way," Roxy said, causing Yuhiro to turn and look at her, "I almost forgot to thank you for visiting Miyu last night. I would've done it last night, but..."

"You were tired," Yuhiro said. "And it's been a while since I last saw her. Besides, it's good for me to see her. Helps to remind me of why I'm doing this in the first place." He looked over at Roxy's computer. "Uh, Roxy, why are you looking up the Den Academy on one of the Google tabs?"

"Well, I've been thinking," Roxy said, as she turned to face Yuhiro, "that recently, you've been up against some tough duelists. And both times, you've almost lost."

"Okay, if you're talking about that Knight of Hanoi, that was an accident. As for Go Onizuka, he was an actual challenge." Yuhiro replied.

"I'm aware. But what if something happens and somehow your deck isn't able to save you?" Roxy countered, now getting Yuhiro's attention. "That's why I believe that, until we get another lead regarding our assignment, you should improve your duel skills at Den Academy's Duel Club!"

"Wait. What?!" Yuhiro said, nearly falling off from the chair. "Please don't make me do this," he groaned. He thought to himself, _Is this punishment for almost destroying our careers in the black market?_

"Trust me, Yuhiro. It's worth it. You'll learn duel strategies, and at the same time," Roxy said, putting a hand on Yuhiro's shoulder and looking at him, "you might make friends."

Yuhiro rolled his eyes. This again. "Look. I know why you're doing this. But I don't think it will work."

"It's because you haven't _tried_ at all," Roxy said, going back to her laptop. "While you're there, I do have one favor for you."

"And what's that?" Yuhiro asked. When Roxy turned the laptop to him, he realized what she wanted him to do. "Are you nuts? There is no way I'm using the E.M.S. program to spy on Aoi Zaizen!" While Yuhiro knew the work he did wasn't the best, even he had limits.

"I know how you feel, Yuhiro," Roxy said, "but I assure you. You only need to do it for a tiny bit. At least until one of my Evasive Maneuverable Spies can get into SOL Technologies." She turned to face him. "All you gotta do is talk to her and become her friend. If even one of the files produced from the E.M.S. program gets in her bag, then it can hack her tablet and enter the network, which will give us access to SOL Technologies."

Yuhiro stood up. "And what are you going to do while I undertake this ridiculous task?"

"Simple." Roxy stood up, closed her laptop, and punched Yuhiro's shoulder. As much as Yuhiro didn't want to admit it, the woman had strength. "I'm doing my day job. And if I have time, I'll start working on your next gauntlet. I'm thinking of a 'Gouki' Gauntlet for you, don't you think?" She exited the kitchen with her laptop and walked downstairs.

_I have a feeling that today is going to be horrible,_ he thought.

_At Den Academy..._

Yuhiro walked down the hallways that would lead to the Duel Club. Of all the ideas Roxy had to suggest, joining a Duel Club! He'd rather be on an assignment than doing this. _At least I brought my decoy deck_, he thought to himself. If he carried Cyberse cards, then people would mistake him for Playmaker, and he certainly didn't want the attention.

"It's Shima! Naoki Shima! We just spoke the other day!"

Apparently, a new voice managed to interrupt Yuhiro's thoughts. He looked around the corner to see Naoki talking to a tall thin freshman with fair skin, green eyes, and dark blue hair that spiked outwards in the back with light blue bangs that had pink accents.

"Oh," the freshman said. "I didn't realize this was the Duel Club!" That voice. Why did Yuhiro feel that he heard that voice before? Also, he could tell that the freshman was lying as well.

"Stop acting dumb!" Naoki said to the freshman. "This isn't a place for a loser who has no interest in LINK VRAINS!"

"Leave him alone, Shima." Yuhiro said, walking around the corner and standing with the freshman against Shima. Turning to the freshman, he asked, "Is he bothering you?"

"No. But thank you," the freshman said.

"Furutani! You got my name right!" Naoki said. Remembering what he was saying earlier, he said, "This guy knows what this club is, and he's acting dumb! He claims to have no interest in LINK VRAINS, but-."

That was as far as Naoki could go, as the door to the Duel Club opened.

"What's going on, Shima?" the boy in the doorway asked. The boy had glasses and black hair swept to the right. "We can all hear you."

"President, I'm so sorry," Naoki said, "It all started when-."

"There's no need to apologize," the President said. "After all, new applicants are always welcome." Uh-oh.

"See, Furutani, Fujiki," Naoki said. "You're in a friendly space now." Yuhiro couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"This way, please," the President said, gesturing for them to go inside the classroom. _Roxanne Matsuo, this had better be worth it,_ Yuhiro thought, as he walked into the room with Fujiki and Naoki. While he couldn't recognize most of the people in the room, he was able to recognize that Aoi was in the club.

"I'm freshman Yuhiro Furutani," he said, bowing low. Now he definitely started to wonder whether Roxy was punishing him for his almost-fatal stunt during his duel with Go Onizuka.

After the freshman known as Yusaku Fujiki introduced himself, the rest of the club introduced themselves, starting with the President.

"I'm Club President Hosoda," the President said.

"I'm Tanaka, a second-year," a short boy with red hair pulled into a ponytail said.

"I'm Sato, another second-year," a boy that was even fatter than Naoki with slicked teal black hair and with spectacles said.

"I'm freshman Suzuki," a tall boy with brown hair in a bowl cut said.

"I'm freshman Zaizen," Aoi said, introducing herself. Yuhiro had to wonder whether they had to introduce themselves every time a new student joined the club.

"Would you like to see the new Duel Disk?" Sato asked Yuhiro.

"That's okay," Yuhiro said. "I'm already okay with the one I had."

"WHAT?" Shima said, getting into Yuhiro's face. "You've got to get one. If you like, Zaizen's big brother at SOL Technologies gave us several of the new Duel Disks. You can have one of you want."

This caused Aoi to glare at Naoki, who panicked and whistled to the right.

"But why would you use an old-generation Duel Disk?" Suzuki asked.

On cue, Yuhiro replied, "While I have my reasons for using this Duel Disk, one of them is that I don't like the AI support that's available. I prefer to trust in my own cards and abilities, and besides, I don't want an AI censoring my grammar whenever I curse. One time, when my friend was cooking burgers and fries, she accidentally burned the fries, and said 'Shit'".

"'Shit' is a forbidden word," the AI's said in Aoi's, Naoki's, and practically everyone in the Duel Club's Duel Disks said. All except for one.

"Furutani, do you mind if I look at your deck?" Aoi asked.

"That's rude, Zaizen," Hosoda said. "A Duelist's deck is their life, pride, and-!"

"It's alright," Yuhiro replied. "Here." He handed the cards over to Aoi, who fanned and looked over them. After doing so, she gave the cards back to Yuhiro.

"I have to say, your deck's not bad," Aoi said. Yuhiro internally smirked to himself. The World Chalice deck he brought was a great decoy deck to have, as it not only focused on Link Summoning, but also contained some other cards that can most certainly catch the opponent off guard.

Yesterday, Aoi asked about his Duel Disk, mentioning it was just like Playmaker's. Today, she wanted to check his deck to see if he really was Playmaker. While he wasn't Playmaker, if he was, he could hand the AI program over to Monty and complete his assignment.

The next thing he knew, Yuhiro heard Aoi say, "A card-insert type Duel Disk?" When he looked over, he noticed that Yusaku's Duel Disk was the exact brand as his, only, red, white and blue. _It's the same as Playmaker's,_ he thought.

Sure enough, Aoi asked Yusaku if she could look at his deck, and Yusaku gave it to her. Yuhiro couldn't help but take a tiny peek. Huh? Neo the Magic Swordsman? Reinforcements?

Yuhiro's thoughts were interrupted when Naoki obnoxiously laughed at Yusaku's deck and called it garbage, with Hosoda berating him for it. Yuhiro glared at Naoki for doing that. You never mock a duelist's deck, even if it was poorly built. If he had to guess, the deck was built badly on purpose.

"Let's start the meeting," Hosoda said, after the incident with Naoki. Everyone sat at the desks, with Yuhiro sitting in the corner, near Yusaku. _I've got to keep my eye on this kid,_ he thought. _Something's up with him._

"Let's brush up on the rules regarding Speed Duels," Hosoda said. He pressed a button towards the projector, which showed a Duel Monsters board. "The main difference between Master and Speed Duels is that there are only three Main Monsters Zones and four Spell & Trap Zones. Furutani, could you please tell me the other differences?"

Yuhiro rolled his eyes. Might as well play along. "There are three other differences between Master Duels and Speed Duels," he said, keeping his voice calm. He held up a finger. "One: In Speed Duels, duelists will start with four cards in their hand." He held up another finger. "Two: During Speed Duels, at any point in the duel, duelists are allowed to use their Skill, but only once." He held up a third finger. "Three: There is no Main Phase 2. Therefore, before battling, it's wise to Set face-down cards so that you can activate them either during your opponent's turn or yours." Yusaku raised an eyebrow while Yuhiro answered the question.

"That's correct!" Hosoda said, slightly shocked. "You seem to know a great deal about this kind of stuff. Would you consider going into LINK VRAINS?"

"Not right now," Yuhiro said, slightly lying. "I wish to know what I want to do for the future before considering going into LINK VRAINS."

"Fair answer, Furutani." Hosoda replied. "After all, schoolwork can sometimes get in the way of things you want to do. Education aside..."

Yuhiro ignored Hosoda as he continued and would have slept if he hadn't heard a voice.

"Hey. Doesn't that Furutani guy have the same Duel Disk you do?" Ai asked Yusaku.

"Be quiet," Yusaku said to Ai.

"You okay Fujiki?" Yuhiro whispered to Yusaku. This caused Yusaku to turn to him. "Were you talking to someone just now?"

"No. I wasn't. You were probably just hearing things." Yusaku said.

"Okay then. Just checking," Yuhiro said, turning back to the screen. _Note to self: Definitely keep an eye on Fujiki,_ Yuhiro thought.

Unbeknownst to Yuhiro, Yusaku was looking at his Duel Disk. _Yuhiro Furutani, if you're wearing that Duel Disk, that can only mean one thing,_ Yusaku thought. _You were there with Kusanagi's brother and I at that place. If you truly are one of us, and are indeed Raguel, stay away from the Hanoi. I'm fighting for everyone that was inflicted during that terrible time there. And I won't rest until I get justice for all of us!_

_15 minutes after the Duel Club Meeting..._

Yuhiro walked into the Home Economics classroom and sat down on one of the chairs in the middle of the benches. _Finally,_ he thought. _It's over._ He had one more class to get through, and then he could go back to Café Matsuo. There, he can go into LINK VRAINS, and complete an assignment or two.

"Good afternoon class!" the teacher said. _Just pay attention to this teacher for 50 minutes, and you'll be done,_ Yuhiro thought. "Today, you'll have a chance to practice in partners for your assignment. A home cooking project." He looked through the list for his name and whom he'll be partnering with as the teacher explained the project: cooking grilled chicken breast. Yuhiro had experience working with a partner, and that was in LINK VRAINS. It did not go so well, which was why he didn't like it.

To his surprise, he was partnered with none other than Aoi Zaizen. Okay. This was most certainly fate playing a cruel joke on him.

"It's Yuhiro Furutani, right?"

He turned to the right at the sound of the voice. It was Aoi. Her face was expressionless as she said, "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon to you too, Zaizen," Yuhiro replied. The two of them, with the rest of the students, headed to the kitchen with the recipe for grilled chicken breast in their hands. After putting on their aprons and starting the oven, Aoi got a measuring cup and poured the marinade at the right amount.

"Why did you want to join the Duel Club?" she asked Yuhiro, as the two of them started on their roles for cooking the chicken breast.

Yuhiro sighed. Might as well tell the truth. "I didn't want to," he admitted, as he smacked the different sized chickens with a rolling pin. "I promised a friend I would, though."

"Oh," was all Aoi said. "That... wasn't the answer I was expecting." She handed Yuhiro a bag, who put the chicken inside it.

"What were you expecting?" Something else?" Yuhiro said as he poured the marinade inside the bag containing the chicken.

After a moment or two, Aoi suddenly blurted out, "I expected you to bring up my brother!". This surprised Yuhiro for a quick moment, before he preheated the grill grates.

"And why would you want me to bring up your brother? What does he have to do with this conversation?" Suddenly, Yuhiro felt like an idiot. How couldn't he see it before?

"He's the reason everyone approaches me," Aoi replied, looking at the fire generated by the grill grates. "'Hey Aoi, can I have the new Duel Disk? Can I have a job at SOL Technologies after I graduate? Can I have this? Can I have that?'" She spat out the last word. "No one wants to be my friend. Everyone uses me to advance themselves. It hurts so much." She looked at Yuhiro, who put the marinated chicken on the oil grill. "Hey, weren't you listening to me?"

"I was," Yuhiro said in a bored voice, looking at Aoi. "You think I'm trying to use you in order to advance myself so I can acquire new technology or a job."

"Uh, y-yes," she replied. This was a new reaction. "Aren't you?"

Yuhiro sighed as he pulled out his Duel Disk from his bag and showed it to Aoi. "There's three reasons why your assumptions are flawed. One: when I joined the Duel Club earlier, I said that I preferred my own Duel Disk. I got this Duel Disk a long time ago, and if I replaced it, it would be dishonoring the memories I had with it."

"I didn't-."

"Two," Yuhiro said, now putting his Duel Disk away and flipping the chicken breasts over, "I already have a job. One I enjoy because I get to work with someone that I can call a friend. After everything she did for me, I owe it to her. And three," Yuhiro had an expression of despair on his face as he looked away from Aoi towards the chicken breasts, "I'm not sure what I want for my future. After the hell I've experienced, I honestly don't know what I want anymore."

Aoi was silent by the time Yuhiro was finished. At that point, the timer beeped, and she turned off the oven. "You really don't want anything from me?" she asked.

"No," Yuhiro said, looking her in the eyes. "As I said, I honestly don't know what I want anymore." Aoi was about to put the chicken breasts on the plate when Yuhiro stopped her. "I'll do it." Yuhiro put the grilled chicken breasts on the plate. As he was walking out of the kitchen, he felt a hand grip his arm, causing him to turn his head towards Aoi.

"Yuhiro," she said, using his first name. "I didn't know you suffered in the past. Is there anything I can-?"

"No, Zaizen," Yuhiro replied, gently pulling free of her before facing her fully. "The problems I'm dealing with are mine alone, not yours." Before he left, he said, "I'm sorry for causing you unnecessary trouble." He left, leaving her alone in the kitchen. _I'm sorry too,_ was all Aoi thought.

_Several minutes later..._

Yuhiro was exiting class when Aoi suddenly caught up to him. Great. First, he had to be her partner, and now she was bothering him. What's next?

"Zaizen, I told you earlier, you can't help me with my problems."

"It's not that," Aoi said, which made Yuhiro stop walking and turn towards her. "I... just wanted to say thank you. For not being like everyone else. I also wanted to apologize for making that assumption."

"No problem, Zaizen. People misjudge me all the-." Just then, Yuhiro's phone began to ring.

"Sorry." He picked it up. It was Roxy. She would only call if there was an emergency. "What's the emergency?"

"Yuhiro, I got some bad news. Come to Café Matsuo quick!" was all Roxy said.

Apparently, Aoi noticed something was amiss, as when she touched his shoulder to ask if he was okay, he jumped.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"I gotta go. My friend needs me." And he started running all the way out of the school. Or, he would have, had he not fallen down the stairs. Again.

"Ow!" Yuhiro screamed, rubbing the back of his head. Luckily, the contents of his backpack didn't spill.

"Here," Aoi said, offering a hand. Yuhiro quickly accepted it and stood up, annoyed as he brushed himself off. "Didn't you said you had an emergency to get to?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot." And once again, Yuhiro started running all the way to Café Matsuo. _Well, if anything, an emergency equals action,_ Yuhiro thought.

_At Café Matsuo..._

By the time Yuhiro reached Café Matsuo, he was sweating and tired. This emergency better be worth it.

To his surprise, the steward bot was at the counter.

"Greetings, Master Yuhiro," the steward bot said. "Mistress Roxy wishes to see you in the backroom."

Yup. This emergency definitely had something to do with LINK VRAINS.

When Yuhiro entered the backroom, there was Roxy, sitting in her chair, with her legs and arms crossed.

"I got here as fast as I could," Yuhiro said, sitting in his chair. "What's going on?"

"I'll let Monty explain," Roxy said, opening up a window. Sure enough, it showed a live feed of none other than Monty himself.

"Monty," Yuhiro said. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's not alright!" Monty shouted through the video camera, which surprised both Yuhiro and Roxy. "A few minutes ago, someone decided to steal files from the black market. He's threatened to leak them to SOL Technologies, which will practically destroy the business, and everyone involved in it." Yuhiro's face paled. If that happened, he wouldn't be able to fulfil his promise to Miyu and Roxy.

"He left me a message for you, however," Monty said. He sent the video to Roxy, who opened it on a separate window on the monitor.

"Raguel," the message said. It only showed a silhouette of an old man. "I am known as Dancho. What I have is the files on LINK VRAINS' black market. If I were to release them to the web, then your career will be blown out like a candle in the wind. My actions could cause unforeseen consequences to those you care about as well."

The man known as Dancho continued: "However. I'm willing to give you a chance to duel for the right to these files. Once you receive this message, you'll have one hour to respond to my challenge. Otherwise, you might as well say goodbye to everything you've fought for." With that, the window closed.

"Monty," Yuhiro said, through gritted teeth. "Send me the coordinates where this message took place. I'll defeat this Dancho and get the files back."

"Splendid!" Monty said. "I knew I could count on the both of you!" After sending the coordinates, he said, "These are the coordinates. Good luck." He ended the call soon after that.

Before Yuhiro could head to the closed-off space, Roxy spoke.

"Yuhiro," Roxy said. "Whoever this guy is, you better be on your guard."

"Roxy. I know." Yuhiro said. "I promise. After all, I got you as the best tech support in the world."

Roxy couldn't help but laugh as Yuhiro entered the closed-off space to go into LINK VRAINS.

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel blasted out of the portal and landed on his duel board, which was on the data stream.

"Roxy, where's this Dancho?" Raguel asked, as he navigated the Data Stream.

"45 degrees to your left," Roxy said. "On the rooftop."

"Got it." Raguel jumped from his duel board and landed on the rooftop, where his opponent was, meditating.

With his back facing towards him.

"Alright Dancho," Raguel said. "I'm here. Just as you wanted."

No response.

"You're just gonna ignore me?" Raguel threw his arms up in the air as he signed. "Look. I'll be fair. Hand me the files and I'll take you back to my boss in one entire piece. How's that sound? At least you'll be alive."

At that moment, Dancho turned to face him. It was at that moment where the Dancho turned to face him that Raguel immediately recognized the get-up.

"You're a fuckin Knight of Hanoi!" Raguel said, pulling out his double-barrelled gun with his left hand and shooting several bullets at him.

To his shock, Dancho dodged all the bullets at lightning-speed, and Raguel could do nothing but gasp as he fired a blast of energy from his fist, pushing him back to the edge of the rooftop.

"I do not like youngsters who disrespect me," Dancho said, as Raguel struggled to get up using his sword to support him. "You come here, making demands, and you think I'll accept them? Turns out you do need disciplining!"

"You son of a bitch," Raguel said, finally getting up and gripping his sword. If he continued this fight, it's clear who'll win.

"Still," Dancho said, turning away from Raguel, "I did make a challenge. And I haven't heard your answer yet. Do you accept?" This time, he turned his head towards him.

"If you want a Duel, you've got one." Raguel said, readying his Duel Disk.

"Not a Master Duel, grasshopper," Dancho said. "I was thinking of a Speed Duel."

"Fine. I'll accept your conditions. Let's just get this over with," Raguel said, clearly pissed off at this old man.

The two duelists rode the data stream, only this time, Raguel managed to get in front. Surprisingly, Dancho didn't seem to mind. _If I'm going to beat this guy,_ Raguel thought, _I'll need to take the first turn. By setting up a defense, I can prepare for whatever he's got._

"Speed Duel!" both of them declared.

**Dancho: 4000 LP**

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

"I'll be going first," Raguel shouted. "I'll Set two cards, and then summon Cyreath Archer from my hand!" A female archer, with pink hair and a light-green cloak, appeared on the field, and strung it's bow at the Dancho.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel fired a blast of energy from his hand into the sky, which created a Link Portal that he and Cyreath Archer flew into. Both of them hovered above the portal.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is one 'Cyreath' monster! I set Cyreath Archer in the Link Marker!" Archer went into the bottom marker, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Next, I'll activate Scorpius' effect!" Raguel said. "Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Come back, Cyreath Archer!"

Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Archer grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"I end my turn," Raguel said. "Now show me what you can do, old man!"

"Don't you dare disrespect me!" Dancho said. "I'll have you known that I am the Hanoi's Grandmaster!" This shocked Raguel. "And I'll prove it! I draw! As I control no effect monsters, I can Special Summon Tenyi Spirit – Nahata from my hand! Rise forth my dragon!" A misty green serpentine dragon appeared on Dancho's field and roared at Raguel.

**Tenyi Spirt – Nahata ATK: 800 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Now, then. Appear! The circuit of mystical chi!" Dancho shouted, as he opened a Link Portal using the energy from his hands. Together with Nahata, he entered the Link Portal and hovered above it.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is 1 non-link 'Tenyi' monster! In this case, I'll set Nahata in the Link Marker!" Nahata entered the bottom arrowhead around the portal, turning it red.

"Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Join your master! Link 1! Monk of the Tenyi!" A young teenage male, wearing what looked like to be a brown Gi with a dragon symbol on it and a red belt, appeared on the field.

**Monk of the Tenyi ATK: 1000 LINK-1 ⬇️**

"I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Mapura from my hand! As I control no effect monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" This time, a misty red serpentine dragon joined Dancho's field and roared at Raguel.

**Tenyi Spirit – Mapura ATK: 600 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4 **

"Appear, once again! The circuit of mystical chi!" Dancho declared. Another link portal soon after appeared, with him, Mapura, and Monk of the Tenyi entering it.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are 2 Wyrm monsters! I'll set Mapura and Monk of the Tenyi, which is a Link-1 monster, in the Link Markers!" Mapura entered the bottom-left arrowhead, while Monk of the Tenyi entered the bottom-left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Grace the field with your presence! Link 2! Shaman of the Tenyi!" A young woman, wearing magenta colored robes and high heels, appeared on the field. She had long-purple hair, and in each of her hands was a sharp fan.

**Shaman of the Tenyi ATK: 1600 LINK-2 **↙️↘️

"I Set one card. Battle!" Dancho said. "Shaman of the Tenyi! Attack Cyreath Scorpius! Crescent Slash!" Shaman of the Tenyi jumped forward at Dancho's command to attack Scorpius, but...

"Continuous-Spell Card, activate! Grapple-Snatch!" Raguel suddenly shouted. "This card lets me target 1 monster you control and prevent it from attacking, as well as activating its effects as long as this card is on the field!" A thin metallic cord shot out of the card and snaked its way around Shaman of the Tenyi, slicing and dicing her until she couldn't stand.

_Not bad,_ Dancho thought. _But you're playing right in my hands._ "I guess I'll end my turn." Dancho said.

"My turn!" Raguel declared! "I draw! I activate the face-down Trap card, Cyreath Power Shot!" The card showed Cyreath Chariot Commander firing a fireball at Zure, Knight of Dark World. "I can target 1 'Cyreath' monster I control and send it to the Graveyard. By doing this, you take damage equal to half of its attack points! I'll tribute Archer, so you'll take 700 points of damage!" Archer disappeared into particles, which went into the activated card. The card then fired a massive blast at Dancho, causing him to wobble a bit.

**Dancho: 4000 – 700 = 3300 LP**

"Next, I'll activate Cyreath Treasure, which lets me draw two cards in exchange of sending a 'Cyreath' monster from my hand to the GY!" He sent Cyreath Wandering Soul to the Graveyard after drawing the top two cards of his deck.

"Scorpius' effect! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Cyreath Archer, I need your help once more!"

Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Archer grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"I'll then banish Cyreath Wandering Soul from my Graveyard to use its effect! By banishing it, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel said. He proceeded to open a portal by firing energy from his hand towards the sky. He and his Cyreath monsters flew through the portal after that.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Archer and the Cyreath Wanderer Token in the Link Markers!" The Wanderer token entered the top Link Arrow, while Archer entered the bottom Link Arrow.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Ride into battle! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the zone Scorpius pointed to. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"I Set one card. Battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Chariot Commander attacks Shaman of the Tenyi!" Chariot Commander lit up in blue flames and fired a burst of fire at Shaman of the Tenyi. _If this works,_ Raguel thought_, I'll be halfway to taking down this son of a bitch_.

His thoughts, however, were interrupted when Dancho said, "I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Nahata from my Graveyard! As an attack was declared involving my 'Tenyi' monster and your monster, I can banish this card from my hand or Graveyard, and have your monster loses 1500 attack points until the end of the turn!"

"What?" Raguel shouted. Damn it. He fell for the old geezer's trap.

"Take this!" Dancho said, as the misty green serpentine dragon returned and went straight through Chariot Commander's chest, creating a hole where its stomach should have been.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 – 1500 = 500**

"Now strike back, Shaman of the Tenyi," Dancho ordered. "Crescent Slash!" In the blink of an eye, Shaman of the Tenyi sliced Chariot Commander using both of her fans at once, making an X and pushing the monster back. To Dancho's surprise, Chariot Commander was still on the field.

**Raguel: 4000 – 1100 = 2900 LP**

"How is your monster still on the field?" Dancho asked, curious at this development.

"Because," Raguel said, "if Chariot Commander attacks a monster my opponent controls, once per turn, it cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects until the end of the turn."

"Oi! You all right, Yuhiro?" Roxy asked through Raguel's earpiece. "You look like you're in a bit of a jam? Want some help?"

"I'd actually appreciate it, Roxy." Raguel responded. "See what you can find out about the Tenyi archetype. Cause they're pains in the ass."

"Yeah, yeah. Just give me a few minutes. Until then, try to survive."

Going back to the duel, Raguel said to Dancho, "I end my turn."

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 500 + 1500 = 2000**

"About time!" Dancho said. "I draw! Due to your arrogance, I'll activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Shthana from my hand! Since I have no effect monsters, I can Special Summon this monster from my hand!" This time, a misty light-blue serpentine dragon joined Dancho's field and roared at Raguel.

**Tenyi Spirit – Shthana ATK: 400 DEF: 2000 LVL: 4**

"And now, appear! The circuit of mystical chi!" Using the energy from his hand, Dancho created a Link Portal. Immediately, he, alongside Shthana and Shaman of the Tenyi, entered inside.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two or more monsters, including a Link Monster! I'll set Shaman of the Tenyi, which is a Link 2 monster, and Tenyi Spirit – Shthana, in the Link Markers!" Shaman of the Tenyi split in two and entered the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads, while Shthana entered the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Master the pure energy flowing through you my student! Link 3! Draco Master of the Tenyi!" The young teenage male from earlier returned, only he was surrounded by a golden aura. His right fist was filled with golden energy, and a small, misty golden dragon was surrounding him as well.

**Draco Master of the Tenyi ATK: 2600 LINK-3 **↙️⬇️↘️

"Since Shaman of the Tenyi is no longer on the field," Raguel said, "Grapple-Snatch is destroyed." As he said it, the card turned to particles.

"Now I'll use my student's greatest effect!" Dancho said, a proud smile on his face as he faced Raguel. "Once per turn, should I control no other effect monsters, I can destroy effect monsters you control equal to the number of non-effect monsters I control or is in the Graveyard. Since I have one non-effect monster in my Graveyard, I can destroy one of your two monsters! Go, Overwhelming Aura!" Draco Master of the Tenyi fired a wave of golden energy from his fist, towards Chariot Commander. However...

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Cyreath Salvation!" Raguel suddenly said. "If a 'Cyreath' monster would be destroyed by a card effect, it's not destroyed!" A barrier appeared and protected Scorpius and Chariot Commander, which caused the wave to disintegrate upon impact.

"You're only delaying the inevitable!" Dancho said, now getting irritated. "In that case, let's get serious! I activate my Skill, Ultimate Technique! This turn, one monster I control can now attack all monsters you control once each!" _Oh shit,_ Raguel thought.

"Battle! Draco Master of the Tenyi attacks Cyreath Scorpius first! Dragon Fist!" Draco Master of the Tenyi punched his right had forward, releasing the misty golden dragon, which led to it _literally_ eating Scorpius and destroying it. The explosion pushed Raguel back behind Dancho.

**Raguel: 2900 – 1600 = 1300 LP**

"Now attack Cyreath Chariot Commander! Dragon Fist!" Once again, Draco Master of the Tenyi released the misty golden dragon from his fist, only this time, it overwhelmed Chariot Commander with its massive energy. Raguel was forced to raise his right hand in order to not get blinded by the attack.

**Raguel: 1300 – 600 = 700 LP**

"That's enough, my student." Dancho said. Draco Master of the Tenyi retreated back on his master's orders. "I'll end my turn." Turning away from Raguel, he said, "You have no cards on your field. No way to make a comeback. You might as well surrender now."

"Never," Raguel said through gritted teeth, which surprised Dancho. "Unlike you, who fights to torment others, I'm fighting for someone. I'm fighting to make sure she can smile again and be happy. That is why I do the dirty work that other's won't. THAT'S WHY I WON'T LOSE TO YOU!"

Dancho was, for a moment, shocked at Raguel said. _He has someone to fight for,_ he thought. He then smiled. "Very well, then. Let's see whether this resolve will help you win."

"Alright, then." For Miyu. "I draw! First, I summon Cyreath Icarus!" An angelic warrior with a white tunic and brown sandals, carrying a modified bow joined the field.

**Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LVL: 3**

Before he could he continue, he was interrupted by Roxy, as she said, "I did some research on the Tenyi archetype. Yuhiro, beware of their card effects when they're in the Graveyard. And, please don't lose."

"I won't," Raguel said. Focusing back to the duel, he continued, "Icarus' effect! When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Return, Cyreath Archer!" Archer returned to the field right beside Icarus.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel once again fired energy from his hand, creating a Link Portal. Together with Icarus and Archer, he entered the portal.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is 1 monster. I'll set Cyreath Archer in the Link Marker!" Archer went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Hephaestus!" A deformed blacksmith carrying a heated rod and a walking stick. He wore a short brown tunic around his waist. Hephaestus, upon being summoned, joined its comrades on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Hephaestus ATK: 500 LINK-1 **↘️

"Hephaestus' effect! Once per turn, if I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can target 1 Spell or Trap card in my Graveyard and add it to my hand!" Raguel added Grapple-Snatch to his hand and activated it.

"I do hope you remember what Grapple-Snatch does, right Dancho?" Raguel asked, smirking. The thin metallic cord shot out of the card and snaked its way around Draco Master of the Tenyi, slicing and dicing him until he couldn't stand.

"My student!" Dancho cried out. "How dare you!"

"I actually dare!" Raguel replied. "And now I activate my Skill, Call of Olympus! I can Special Summon 1 random 'Cyreath' monster straight from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck. When he looked at the card, he smiled. "Through my Skill, I summon Cyreath Cackling Juggler!" A small skeleton with small bombs in its knapsack soon joined the field.

**Cyreath Cackling Juggler: ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Also, since I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster at the time my Skill activated, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand! I know, this one!" Raguel added Cyreath Launch to his hand. "And when Cyreath Cackling Juggler is summoned, for each 'Cyreath' monster I control, it gains 1 'Bomb' counter." Immediately, the skeleton became antsy, as it was juggling three bombs at once.

**Cyreath Cackling Juggler BC 0 + 3 = 3**

"And I'll remove all of them to activate it's other effect!" Raguel continued. "For each Bomb Counter removed, you take 300 points of damage! Bomb Derby!" Cackling Juggler threw all three bombs at Dancho at once, causing him to momentarily lose balance on his duel board.

**Cyreath Cackling Juggler BC 3-3 = 0**

**Dancho: 3300 – 900 = 2400 LP**

"You filthy snake!" Dancho accused Raguel. "You rely on effects to deal damage, not through true battle!"

"Sorry," Raguel said, "but I'm not done yet. Appear, one more time, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel created one last portal, in which he, Hephaestus, Cackling Juggler, and Icarus entered.

"Arrowheads confirmed. The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Hephaestus, which is a Link 1 monster, Cyreath Icarus, and Cyreath Cackling Juggler, in the Link Markers!" Hephaestus entered the top-left arrow, Icarus entered the top-right arrow, and Cackling Juggler entered the bottom arrow.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"And now I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Cyreath Launch!" The card showed Cyreath Hercules jumping to battle from a high ledge. "This card lets 1 'Cyreath' monster I control attack you directly, in exchange for other monsters I control not attacking this turn."

"WHAT?!" Dancho said.

"Kick his sorry ass into next week!" Roxy said through Raguel's earpiece.

"Don't worry, Roxy. This attack is for you and Miyu." Raguel replied. Turning back to Dancho, he said, "I choose Cyreath Hercules! Battle! Attach Dancho directly with Nemean Strike!"

Cyreath Hercules jumped over Draco Master of the Tenyi and pulled back its right arm, with the intention of finishing the old man off himself.

_Elsewhere, in LINK VRAINS..._

"It's Blue Angel!" This was said by a giant frog being carried by a pigeon with a camera on its head. "Quick, roll the footage!" The two of them were looking down the data stream, where Blue Angel was riding on a white and light green duel board. She noticed the two and smiled and waved at the camera.

"Hey True Blues!" Blue Angel said, as she jumped off her duel board and landed on a support beam. "I need all of your help! If any of you see Playmaker, tell him that Blue Angel is making a public challenge! One that I will win!"

"Blue Angel vs. Playmaker!

"OMG, this is awesome!"

"When and where?"

"You heard it here and now, folks!" the MC said. "Blue Angel just challenged Playmaker to a duel!"

This was said by several people in the Den City Plaza watching the television screens Blue Angel was on. Among them was Yusaku Fujiki, who was eating a hot dog.

"Come on out, Playmaker!" Blue Angel said on the screen. "I know you want to!"

"Yo, Yusaku." Yusaku turned to see Shochi Kusanagi talking to him. "Why is she so fired up?"

"Apparently," Ai said, "she wants to duel him." Moving its eye to Yusaku, which was its only feature, Ai asked, "You gonna duel her?"

"No, for three reasons," Yusaku replied. "One: If she is my one connection to SOL Technologies, I can't risk her getting harmed in a Speed Duel. Two: I will only fight the Knights of Hanoi. Three: It's important to keep a low profile."

"So people will say that you're a coward." Ai concluded.

"Excellent analysis as usual," Yusaku replied sarcastically, an expression of unconcern on his face.

"Don't be shy!" Blue Angel said. "Just come on out and duel me!" After looking around for a few seconds, she sighed. "I guess he's not gonna show up! But rest assured, True Blues, I'm not leaving without giving you an awesome duel! Therefore, I challenge-!"

"GRAAAAGGGHHH!" Blue Angel, Frog, and Pigeon turned towards the sound of the voice, which was followed by a massive explosion.

_At the conclusion of Raguel's duel..._

Cyreath Hercules punched Dancho with so much power that it caused an explosion, launching him towards a building and upwards to the roof.

**Dancho: 2400 – 2500 = 0**

As Dancho struggled to get up, Raguel jumped off his duel board and landed on the same rooftop.

"You wretched bastard," Dancho said, while struggling to get up. "I guess he was right. Your strength is growing with each duel."

"The files. Now!" Raguel said, pulling out his double-barreled gun and aiming it at Dancho.

"I am a man of my word," Dancho said, an expression of resignation on his face. After pressing a few buttons on his Duel Disk, he said, "As per our agreement, I have transferred the files to you." Raguel soon got a notification, which let him know that he got the files.

"And who is this person you're talking about?" Soon, Raguel charged forward and attempted to grab Dancho, but he dodged to the side and gutpunched him at the last second.

"Rest assured, boy," Dancho said, "you'll meet him soon. However, this impulsiveness of yours. If not tampered correctly, you could be a danger to us all!" Dancho pressed his fist further into Raguel's gut and then released energy from it, which pushed Raguel back. He would have fallen off the rooftop had he not grabbed the ledge at the last second.

"We will meet again. This I will tell you," Dancho said, facing him one last time before turning around and logging out.

"Get back, damn you!" But by the time Raguel climbed back up to the rooftop, Dancho had already logged out.

Oh well. At least he had the files.

Raguel immediately called Monty after getting his bearings. "Monty, I have the files. Sending them to you now."

"Splendid!" Monty said through Raguel's earpiece. "I always knew you would pull through. Here's your usual amount, as well as a little something special for this emergency task." When Raguel looked at what he got, he smirked. A cash bonus and new technology parts being sent to Café Matsuo? How awesome was that?

"Thanks, Monty. Raguel out," he said, ending the call. _Time to log out and go home. I'm tired and hungry,_ he thought.

Suddenly, he experienced a splintering headache. _What's with this pain? Something definitely doesn't feel right,_ Raguel thought.

"Oh, look who's here!"

Raguel turned towards the voice. It was Blue Angel, smiling at him. Frog and Pigeon were nearby, broadcasting the meeting.

"What's this?" the MC said. "Blue Angel has encountered Raguel! Why is he in LINK VRAINS?" Yusaku narrowed his eyes on seeing Raguel.

"I was hoping to duel Playmaker, but you're here instead. I believe that a duel between us will entertain the crowd, don't you think?" Blue Angel said.

She pointed her finger at Raguel. "Raguel, I hereby challenge you to a duel!"

_Oh you gotta be shitting me,_ Raguel thought, as he glared at Blue Angel, while she smiled back at him in return.

**Card Gallery**

_Tenyi Spirit - Nahata (LV: 4/Wyrm/Wind/ATK: 800/DEF: 1000)_

_If you control no Effect monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. When an attack is declared involving you 'Tenyi' monster and an opponent's face-up monster: You can banish this card from you hand or GY; that monster loses 1500 ATK until the end of this turn. You can only use each effect of 'Tenyi Spirit - Nahata' once per turn. _

_Cyreath Archer (LV: 3/Cyberse/Light/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1000)_

_This card can attack your opponent directly, but any battle damage this card inflicts is halved._

_Cyreath Icarus (LV: 3/Cyberse/Wind/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1100)_

_Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster in your GY; Special Summon it._

_Cyreath Cackling Juggler (LV: 4/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000) _

_When this card is Summoned: Place 1 'Bomb' counter on this card equal to the number of 'Cyreath' monsters you control. During either player's turn: You can remove all 'Bomb' counters from this card, and if you do, inflict 300 damage to your opponent for each counter removed._

_Cyreath Hephaestus (LR: 1/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 500/↘️)_

_1 monster. Once per turn, when you control a 'Cyreath' monster: You can target 1 Spell or Trap card in your GY; add it to you hand. _

_Cyreath Launch (Quick-Play Spell Card)_

_Target 1 'Cyreath' monster you control; it can attack your opponent directly, but other monsters you control cannot attack this turn._

_Cyreath Power Shot (Normal Trap card)_

_Target 1 monster you control; send it to the GY, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to half of its ATK._

**QOTC**

_What did you think of Dancho and his Tenyi Deck? _

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 4: An Angel's Challenge. Just when Raguel defeated Dancho, Blue Angel, out of the blue, appears and challenges him to a duel! His response is..._

_Chapter 5: Burning Advent. Exhausted from the events in LINK VRAINS, Yuhiro attempts to puzzle together the Dancho's connection to the Hanoi and who else might be involved. However, when something abnormal happens to Blue Angel, Yuhiro logs into LINK VRAINS, only to be thrown into a situation involving Playmaker, Akira Zaizen, and the leader of the Knights of Hanoi himself: Revolver..._

**Responses to Reviews and Author's Notes**

Thank you to giacomoX, 00raiserXL, HunterHQ, II, SSJ Shadow, Guest, and BlackJack123 for reviewing Chapter two of Obscured Truth.

Okay, that took a long time to write! I'm very sorry everyone for the long wait. I forgot to mention, in the last chapter, that I had midterms. The good news was that I only had four, and now that they're out of the way, I'm back on schedule. To make it up to you for the wait, I put down not one, but two-chapter previews to get you excited for what's coming up.

As for last chapter's QOTC, I looked at the responses, and decided that Pendulum Summoning will be included in the story!

In this chapter, we meet Dancho, an old friend of Revolver's. Dancho actually means Grandmaster in Japanese, which is why I decided to include him in the story. After all, how else were the Knight of Hanoi grunts taught how to duel? He uses the Tenyi deck, which focuses on using non-effect Wyrm Link monsters and Wyrm monsters to overwhelm the opponent through Graveyard effects. He also has a total of four Link monsters and an eventual Synchro monster. The fourth Link Monster won't be revealed until the Another Arc, so stay tuned. As for the Synchro Monster, that won't be revealed until Season 2.

We also have Yuhiro signing up for the Duel Club (which he didn't want to do), and him meeting with Yusaku Fujiki. He also talks with Aoi a bit in the chapter as well. This won't be an OCxAoi shipping story at all, just to confirm now. The fact that Yuhiro was willing to talk to Aoi in this chapter will be the first step to them becoming friends.

Furthermore, there's Yuhiro's decoy deck: The World Chalice deck! I chose that deck mainly because it involves Link Summoning, and Yuhiro can also throw in some cards to catch his opponents off-guard (who knows, maybe I might put in some old-school cards in the deck?). The deck will be shown at some point in the story. As for when, you'll have to wait and see.

Finally, there's Yuhiro going to see Miyu at the hospital and how she ended up there. For those of you that are thinking, 'This is too similar to how Windy's Partner ended up in the hospital', it will be expanded in the next chapter.

Anyways, it's time for the reviews.

giacomoX: Thank you very much. I hope you enjoyed this duel. As for a Link-4 monster, it won't be appearing until Episode 7.

00raiserXL: Thank you very much my friend. I truly do appreciate it. Raguel's potential future Link-4 ace monster, unfortunately, is not the serpent that Hercules slayed during his Twelve Labors. It's something else, and I think you'll be surprised.

HunterHQ: Thank you very much for giving this story a chance, as well as chatting with me for the past few days. It's been a lot of fun chatting with you, and I look forward to doing it more. I also want to thank you for your role in helping establish Windy's partner in Season 2. Stay tuned!

II: Miyu isn't an OC. She's an actual character that appears in the second half of Season 2 of Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS. Whether she becomes free of her problems, you'll have to wait and see.

SSJ Shadow: Thank you for saying that. I do my best for the interactions to be as human as possible. The three high gods of Olympus will all be Link Monsters, just to let you know. As for Raguel Reincarnation Link Summoning? Not right now. That is for the Soulburner and his Salamangreats only. But maybe in the future. As for Windy's Partner, you played a role in how he'll be established in Season 2. So stay tuned!

Guest: Thanks for respecting my decision to use a deck based on Greek Mythology for Raguel. I can't tell you without spoiling the story. But if you stick with it, you'll get your answer.

BlackJack123: A Link Monster based on Medea of Fate for Yuhiro? Hell yeah.

I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please post your reviews for this chapter, as well as your questions. As a writer, I promise to continue improving for each chapter. See you next time!


	4. Chapter 4: An Angel's Challenge

**Update:** I've changed the title of Chapter 5 from Mechanical Advent to Burning Advent, as recommended by HunterHQ. This works out, as I can introduce a new character by Chapter 5. Who this character is, you'll have to stay tuned and find out! Until then, enjoy Chapter 4!

**Chapter 4: An Angel's Challenge**

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Blue Angel pointed her finger at Raguel. "Raguel, I hereby challenge you to a duel!"

_Oh you gotta be shitting me,_ Raguel thought, as he glared at Blue Angel, while she smiled back at him in return.

Meanwhile, in the Hanoi Stronghold, Revolver was watching these events through the monitor. _Interesting,_ he thought. _Blue Angel will most certainly be useful in our plans._

At that moment, Specter logged in, alongside Dancho.

"Master Revolver," Specter said. "I wanted to let you know that our little project is ready to be used at your command."

"Thank you for the update, Specter." Specter bowed low in response to Revolver's comment. "And how are you feeling Dancho? Was Raguel's strength just as strong as I anticipated?"

"He is just as strong as you said, Revolver," Dancho said. "However, he is indeed a powerful foe, one that I believe could be a danger to us all."

"There's no need to be concerned, Dancho," Revolver said, a look of unconcern on his face. "Your duel against Raguel gave me important data that can be used against him. And I believe this next duel will give us more."

_This is a complete waste of time,_ Raguel thought. He was about to give Blue Angel his answer and log out, when...

"Oi, oi, oi, not so fast, Yuhiro!" Roxy practically shouted through Raguel's earpiece. This caused him to jump.

"Well, Raguel, I'm waiting for your answer," Blue Angel said, now starting to get annoyed.

"Blue Angel, can you please give me two minutes? I need to take this call." Raguel said, turning away from her. "Roxy, what is it? I'm about to log out and-."

"Oh you most certainly are not!" Roxy shouted. "You're going to accept her challenge!"

"Wait. What?!" Raguel said. "Why should I? I just narrowly survived a duel against a Kung-Fu master that can summon energy from his freakin fist!"

"Because I'll be visiting Miyu later tonight!" This caught Raguel off guard. "And I'll have you know that Blue Angel, or as you know her, Aoi Zaizen, was, and still is, Miyu's childhood friend. I think this duel might be the thing that wakes her up from her coma."

Raguel didn't know what to think or say. Roxy, until now, hadn't told him about Miyu's past, other than that Roxy was Miyu's aunt.

"Please," Roxy said. "Yuhiro, I'm begging you."

Raguel sighed. "All right, Roxy. I'll do this for you." _And for Miyu,_ he thought.

Turning to Blue Angel, he said, "You challenge me to a duel? In that case, I say we GET THIS PARTY STARTED!" A smile fell on Blue Angel's face upon realizing he accepted her challenge.

"OMG, he accepted!" the MC shouted at the top of his lungs. "Raguel vs. Blue Angel is about to start! Who will win in the duel of angels?"

"This is exciting!"

"I can't wait!".

"Show us the duel!"

This was said by several people in the Den City Plaza. Yusaku, who was watching the television screens, widened his eyes in shock seeing the events.

"He accepted..." was all Yusaku said, finishing his hot dog.

"Now this could be interesting," Kusanagi added, who was also eating a hot dog.

"Um, not to be rude," Ai said, "but why would this Raguel accept Blue Angel's challenge?"

Yusaku immediately stood up. "There are three reasons why Raguel accepted Blue Angel's challenge. One: By dueling Blue Angel, he can learn how to duel against duelists that use burn strategies, and then come up with strategies to counter them. Two: Someone must have convinced Raguel to participate in this duel. Whether the reasons are noble or not, I'm not sure. Three: If Raguel is one of the children that were involved in the Lost Incident, he must have found a way to move on from its traumas and enjoy life once again." Yusaku became envious of Raguel upon saying that.

"In that case," Kusanagi said, "I believe we should view this duel on the monitor. Just in case something is amiss."

"Good idea," Yusaku said, as he and Kusanagi, alongside Ai, went into Kusanagi's food truck.

_In the Hanoi Stronghold..._

"How interesting," Revolver said, smiling at what is happening. "Now that Raguel accepted the challenge, this duel will certainly provide me with more data on Raguel's strategies and power."

"On top of that," Specter said, "I believe we may have found our first test subject. With your permission, of course," Specter added.

"You make a valid point, Specter," Revolver replied. "Very well then. Specter. Observe the duel between Raguel and Blue Angel and send the duel data to me. Regardless whether Blue Angel wins or loses, give her the program once the duel's concluded."

"As you command, Master Revolver," Specter said, bowing low before logging out.

"Is this necessary?" Dancho asked, causing Revolver to turn to him. "Are you sure that holding a hostage is the right thing to do? I thought that-."

To Dancho's surprise, Revolver placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understand your concern," Revolver said. "Ever since what happened to your students, you didn't want to involve anyone else. But sometimes, we must make hard decisions for the greater good. You of all people understand this, right?"

Dancho nodded. "Of course. I just feel uneasy about this course of action."

"You need not worry," Revolver said, now turning to the monitor, which showed the duel was about to start. "Once our plan's in motion, I myself will obtain that Ignis. And should Raguel get involved, I know someone who'll snuff out his power once and for all."

_In LINK VRAINS..._

A strong current of wind blew past the two duelists as a Data Storm arrived at their location. Raguel and Blue Angel jumped in the air and onto their respective duel boards. Blue Angel ended up in front, which Raguel didn't mind. _I would've had to duel her at some point,_ Raguel thought. _Better now than later._

"Speed Duel!" Raguel and Blue Angel declared.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Blue Angel: 4000 LP**

"Thank you everyone for your support!" Blue Angel said, smiling. "And since I'm in front, I'll be taking the first turn!" She swiped her arm to the side, making four cards appear in front of her. "First, I'll activate the Field Spell card, Trickstar Light Stage! When Light Stage is activated, I can add 1 'Trickstar' monster from my deck to my hand!" She added Trickstar Lilybell to her hand.

"I activate Trickstar Lilybell's effect! Since it was added to my hand except by drawing it, I can Special Summon it from my hand! Come on out and greet the audience!" A young woman wearing a short-pink dress and carrying a massive bell in her hand appeared. She also had long pink hair combed in two ponytails as well.

**Trickstar Lilybell ATK: 800 DEF: 2000 LVL: 2**

"I'm not done yet, Raguel!" Blue Angel said. "Now I'll summon Trickstar Candina!" This time, a young woman in a yellow dress carrying a megaphone joined the field. She waved to the crowd after being summoned.

**Trickstar Candina ATK: 1800 DEF: 400 LVL: 4**

"Since Candina was Normal Summoned, I can add any 'Trickstar' card from my deck to my hand!" Blue Angel added Trickstar Lycoris from her deck to her hand.

"And now, for Trickstar Lycoris' effect! I can return any 'Trickstar' monster to my hand to Special Summon her to the field! I'll choose to return Candina, and then introduce Lycoris to the duel!" Candina vanished in particles and was replaced by a young woman wearing a red and black dress while holding a golden sword in her hand.

**Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1600 DEF: 1200 LVL: 3**

"Appear, the circuit of dreams and hope!" Blue Angel said, firing a blast of energy in the sky, which created a Link Portal. Blue Angel entered it alongside Lilybell and Lycoris.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is 1 Level 2 or lower 'Trickstar' monster! I'll set Trickstar Lilybell in the Link Marker!" Lilybell entered the bottom arrowhead at Blue Angel's command.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Trickstar Bloom!" A fair-skinned young woman, wearing a green and yellow dress, a little brown witch-hat, two fairy wings, and holding a broom decorated with a flower on top appeared on the field.

**Trickstar Bloom ATK: 100 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Since she was Link Summoned, you get to draw a card Raguel!" Blue Angel said, winking at him.

"Okay then," Raguel said, slightly blushing. _Must not let her get to me_, he thought, as he drew his card.

"Whoops! I forgot to mention Trickstar Lycoris' _other_ effect!" Blue Angel suddenly said, now smiling with confidence. "Whenever you add a card to your hand, you take 200 points of damage!" Upon saying that, Lycoris pointed her sword at Raguel and fired a golden beam at him, which hit him in the chest.

**Raguel: 4000 – 200 = 3800 LP**

"I'll also use Trickstar Light Stage's effect! If a 'Trickstar' monster I control inflicts battle or effect damage," Blue Angel explained, "you'll take an additional 200 points of damage!"

The Field Spell materialized beside the idol as it fired a blast of green energy at Raguel, engulfing him in its green light.

**Raguel: 3800 – 200 = 3600 LP**

"Next, I'll activate Trickstar Make-Up!" The card showed Trickstar Holly Angel being prepped for a show by Trickstar Mandrake and Trickstar Lycoris. "Now all 'Trickstar' monsters I control gain 200 attack and defense points!"

**Trickstar Bloom ATK: 100 + 200 = 300**

**Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1600 + 200 = 1800 DEF: 1200 + 200 = 1400**

"I think I'll end my turn here!" Blue Angel concluded. "So, now that I showed you what I got, let's see what you got."

"Don't worry. I won't disappoint," Raguel said. "My turn! I draw!"

"Yup! You drew a card! You know what that means! Lycoris will deal 200 points of damage to you!" Blue Angel said. Lycoris once again pointed her sword at Raguel and fired a golden beam at him, which hit him in the chest.

**Raguel: 3600 – 200 = 3400 LP**

"And I hope you didn't forget about Trickstar Light Stage!" Blue Angel added, as the card blasted another burst of green energy at Raguel.

**Raguel: 3400 – 200 = 3200 LP**

Raguel could swear he heard Roxy laughing. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked Roxy.

"A lot," Roxy said, laughing through Raguel's earpiece.

"You were right about her deck, though," Raguel said. "I gotta be careful, or else-."

"BAM! You're screwed!" Roxy finished, which caused Raguel to hold his right hand to his right ear.

"Just let me focus! Please!" Raguel said.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about me. I'll be enjoying the show."

"Uh-huh." Going back to the duel, Raguel said, "First, I summon Cyreath Archer!" The female archer with pink hair and a light-green cloak joined Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel immediately created a Link Portal and entered it with Archer.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are 1 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Archer in the Link Marker!" Archer entered the bottom arrowhead surrounding the Link Portal.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Scorpius' effect! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Come back, Cyreath Archer!"

Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Archer grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"Now I activate my own Field Spell Cyreath Grand Hall!" Raguel said. The card showed a large council room on top of a mountain, overlooked by enormous humanoids that were sitting on chairs. "Now all 'Cyreath' monsters I control gain 200 attack points!"

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 + 200 = 1600**

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 + 200 = 1200**

"I Set one card. Battle!" Raguel declared. "First, Cyreath Scorpius attacks Trickstar Bloom!" The massive scorpion charged forward and slashed Bloom in two, turning her into particles.

**Blue Angel: 4000 – 900 = 3100 LP**

"And now I activate Cyreath Archer's effect! If I cut battle damage inflicted by her in half this turn, she gets to attack directly." Archer pulled an arrow back further than intended.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1600/2 = 800**

"Fire away Cyreath Archer!" Raguel said. Archer fired an arrow, which hit Blue Angel and caused her to stagger a bit.

**Blue Angel: 3100 – 800 = 2300 LP**

"And that ends my turn." Raguel concluded. "So, had enough?"

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 800 X 2 = 1600**

"I don't think so," Blue Angel said, drawing a card. "I draw! Since I control a 'Trickstar' monster, I can Special Summon Trickstar Ravenna from my hand!" A young woman wearing a violet dress and a tiara joined the field. In her hand was a magic staff with a flower design.

**Trickstar Ravenna ATK: 1500 DEF: 1500 LVL: 5**

"Next, I summon Trickstar Rosy!" This time, a young girl wearing a rosy red dress appeared on the field. She carried a flute in her hand.

**Trickstar Rosy ATK: 900 DEF: 0 LVL: 3**

"When Rosy is Normal or Special Summoned, she lets me add a 'Trickstar' card from my deck to my hand. How about this one!" Blue Angel added Trickstar Dazzle to her hand. "Oh, and thanks to my Continuous-Spell, both my newly summoned Trickstars will both gain 200 attack and defense points!"

**Trickstar Ravenna ATK and DEF: 1500 + 200 = 1700**

**Trickstar Rosy ATK: 900 + 200 = 1100 DEF: 0 + 200 = 200**

"I'll use Trickstar Ravenna's effect! Once per duel, if I were to Link Summon a 'Trickstar' Link Monster, she can be treated as two Link Materials!" Blue Angel said, surprising Raguel.

"Appear, the circuit of dreams and hope!" Blue Angel proceeded to create a Link Portal and enter it with Ravenna, Lycoris, and Rosy.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two 'Trickstar' monsters! I'll set Trickstar Ravenna, which is being counted as two Link Materials by her own effect, into the Link Markers!" Ravenna split in two as she entered the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Trickstar Holly Angel!" A woman with pale blonde hair and blue eyes exited the Link Portal and joined Blue Angel's field. She wore an elaborate blue, white, and purple dress and carried a flail.

**Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ↙️↘️

"And my Continuous-Spell gives Holly Angel 200 more attack points!" Blue Angel added.

**Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 2000 + 200 = 2200**

"Now to Set two face-down cards. Battle! First, Trickstar Holly Angel attacks Cyreath Scorpius! Holly Flail!" Holly Angel swung out its flail to attack, but...

"I activate Cyreath Provocation!" Raguel suddenly said. The card showed Cyreath Rushing Skeleton being angered by taunts from Cyreath Barbarian, Cyreath Archer, and Cyreath Sentry. "Now monsters you control gain 100 attack points and must attack. Otherwise, their effects are negated and can no longer be used for Link Summoning!"

Bowing mockingly at the Trickstar monsters Blue Angel had, he said to them, "Shall we dance?" This got them all riled up.

**Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 2200 + 100 = 2300**

**Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1800 + 100 = 1900**

**Trickstar Rosy ATK: 1100 + 200 = 1300**

"What will you do Blue Angel?" Raguel asked Blue Angel.

After a moment's hesitation, Blue Angel said, "You brought this on yourself Raguel! Holly Angel resumes her attack on Scorpius!" Holly Angel swung out its flail at Scorpius, destroying the scorpion and causing Raguel to shield his eyes from the explosion.

**Raguel: 3200 – 900 = 2300 LP**

"Now Trickstar Lycoris attacks Cyreath Archer!" Lycoris fired a golden beam from her sword at Archer, destroying her and pushing Raguel back a bit.

**Raguel: 2300 – 300 = 2000 LP**

"And now Trickstar Rosy attacks you directly Raguel!" Blue Angel said, pointing at him. Rosy fired a musical note from her flute, which was about to hit Raguel, when...

"I activate the effect of Cyreath Rippler from my hand! If I control no monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my hand and negate the attack!" A ghoul wearing digital pale robes appeared, carrying a small metal wand and triangle. Rippler hit the triangle using its wand, pushing back the musical note Rosy fired.

**Cyreath Rippler ATK: 100 DEF: 100 LVL: 1**

**Cyreath Rippler ATK: 100 + 200 = 300**

"Also, the attacking monster is destroyed! Agony Ripple!" This time, Rippler unleashed another musical blast that was much stronger than the previous one, which knocked back Rosy and destroyed her.

"Rosy!" Blue Angel cried out. "I'll have to end my turn," she said, annoyed with her loss.

"Then it's my turn!" Raguel said. "I draw!"

"And Lycoris' effect activates again!" Blue Angel said, interrupting Raguel. "Only this time, Rosy's effect also activates, doubling all effect damage you take!" Lycoris fired a bigger than usual golden beam at Raguel, which pushed him back this time.

**Raguel: 2000 – 400 = 1600 LP**

"My Light Stage would also normally deal you 200 points of damage, but thanks to Rosy, it's doubled!" The card blasted a gust of green energy at Raguel, making him cover his eyes.

**Raguel: 1600 – 400 = 1200 LP**

"And one last thing!" Blue Angel added. "Until the end of the turn, Holly Angel gains attack points equal to the damage you took. Holly Blessing!"

**Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 2300 + 800 = 3100**

_I need to get rid of Lycoris. Otherwise, I'll lose the duel,_ Raguel thought. "First, I'll summon Cyreath Icarus!" he said. An angelic warrior with a white tunic and brown sandals, carrying a modified bow joined the field.

**Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LVL: 3**

"Icarus' effect! When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Return, Cyreath Archer!" Archer returned to the field right beside Icarus.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"Grand Hall's effect will also-!"

"Your Field Spell won't do anything," Blue Angel said. "Counter Trap, activate! Trickstar Dazzle!" The card showed Trickstar Bella Madonna wowing the crowd with her musical performance. "When a card effect is activated, I can negate that effect and then destroy it!" Raguel couldn't help but grit his teeth as Grand Hall vanished into particles.

"Since Cyreath Grand Hall is destroyed," Raguel said, "Cyreath Rippler loses its attack boost."

**Cyreath Rippler ATK: 300 – 200 = 100**

"That doesn't mean I don't have any other moves to make!" Raguel declared. "Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" He created a Link Portal and proceeded to enter it alongside Rippler, Icarus, and Archer.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is 1 monster! I'll set Cyreath Rippler in the Link Marker!" Rippler went into the bottom-left arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Skull Wing!" A skull with wings on its head flew onto Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Skull Wing ATK: 300 LINK-1** ↙️

"Appear again! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel opened another Link Portal, which he, Skull Wing, Icarus, and Archer soon entered.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Icarus, Cyreath Archer, and Cyreath Skull Wing, which is a Link 1 monster, in the Link Markers!" Icarus entered the top-left arrow, Archer entered the top-right arrow, and Skull Wing entered the bottom arrow.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"At this point, Skull Wing's effect activates! Since it was used to Link Summon a monster, you take 300 points of damage!" The spirit of Skull Wing appeared and _literally_ went through Blue Angel, causing her to shiver.

**Blue Angel: 2300 – 300 = 2000 LP**

"I Set one card. Battle! Cyreath Hercules attacks Trickstar Lycoris! Nemean Strike!" Hercules charged forward and uppercutted Lycoris, destroying her and turning her into particles. This caused Blue Angel to stagger forward on her duel board.

**Blue Angel: 2000 – 600 = 1400 LP**

"Hercules' effect! Since your monster's attack points was different than its original attack points, you'll take damage equal to half your monster's original attack! Nemean Rage!" Raguel shouted. Hercules charged once again, only at Blue Angel this time, but...

"I activate Trickstar Dhalia's effect from my hand!" Blue Angel said, turning to Raguel. "If I would take effect damage, I can send her to the Graveyard and reduce it to zero!" A little girl wearing a peachy-orange dress and having short, orange hair put up a magic barrier around Blue Angel, pushing Hercules back to Raguel's field.

"I'll end my turn," Raguel concluded. "Which means Holly Angel's attack points drop back to where they were at the beginning of my turn."

**Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 3100 – 800 = 2300**

"My turn! I draw!" Blue Angel said. "I'll summon a second Trickstar Lycoris from my hand!" Another young woman wearing a red and black dress while holding a golden sword in her hand joined Blue Angel's field.

**Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1600 DEF: 1200 LVL: 3**

"Cyreath Provocation's effect has your monster gain 100 attack points!" The card fired a red aura at Lycoris, which enraged the young woman.

"But Trickstar Make Up also boosts its attack and defense points by 200!" Blue Angel countered.

**Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1600 + 100 + 200 = 1900 DEF: 1200 + 200 = 1400**

_If this combo works,_ Blue Angel thought, _I'll win this duel. And I'll finally prove to my brother that I'm not his baby sister anymore!_ "I activate my Skill Trickstar Fraud!" The lines on Blue Angel's clothing glowed pink, as well as the hearts on her wings and her heart-shaped earrings. "By discarding a 'Trickstar' card, you have to draw cards until you have three in your hand!" Raguel gritted his teeth as he drew two cards.

"And thanks to the combined efforts of Lycoris, Rosy, and Light Stage, the duel is concluded. Go!" Lycoris fired a massive golden beam, while Light Stage fired an enormous blast of green energy at Raguel. But...

"Quick-Play Spell, Cyreath Repulse!" Raguel said. The card showed Cyreath Sentry pushing back against a blast of energy fired from Panzer Dragon. "If I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, all effect damage I would've taken is reduced to zero!" Hercules jumped in front of Raguel and protected him by blocking the two blasts of energy using his massive gauntlets.

_Great. Now Holly Angel doesn't get her attack boost,_ Blue Angel thought. _There's another way, though._ "I equip Trickstar Holly Angel with Trickstar Iris Whip!" Blue Angel said. The card showed Trickstar Black Catbat holding what looked like a purple whip with three ends on it. "By cutting any battle damage inflicted by Holly Angel in half, she gets to attack you directly! Holly Iris Triple Smack!" Holly Angel swung out the whip at Raguel and all three ends hit Raguel in the face at once, pushing him back and almost making him lose balance on his duel board.

**Raguel: 1200 – 1150 = 50 LP**

"Yuhiro!" Roxy shouted through Raguel's earpiece, causing him to jolt.

"I'm not dead yet, Roxy." Raguel said. "I think I can finish the duel on this turn."

"I hope so, pal. Cause what would Miyu think of you if she saw you lose to her childhood friend?" Roxy asked.

_If Miyu was watching, she would kill me for getting my ass kicked,_ Raguel thought, which caused him to smirk. _But she'd also be happy for Blue Angel as well. _This got him to smile even wider.

"Just trust me Roxy. The duel is in the bag." With that, Raguel resumed his focus to the duel.

"I end my turn." Blue Angel concluded. _If Raguel attacks with Hercules, I can activate my facedown Trap card Trickstar Unity,_ Blue Angel thought. _Which will boost one of my Trickstar's attack points by the other and finish Raguel off!_ Blue Angel could taste the sweet victory that she would be experiencing on Raguel's next turn. After she defeats him, her brother will no longer see her as his baby sister, but as his sister and maybe his equal. At that point, he wouldn't have to baby her around and, if she was lucky, he would start trusting her.

_At SOL Technologies..._

Akira Zaizen was watching the duel between Blue Angel and Raguel on his computer's monitor. He narrowed his eyes as the duel progressed.

_Why are you doing this, Aoi_? Akira thought. During their entire childhood, Akira tried his hardest to make Aoi's life perfect, free from harm and worry. He even promised their parents that he would watch out for her when they weren't around.

However, the moment their parents died, they were thrown into the adult world, and everything they had, including their house, was sold to random strangers. Still, the siblings had each other, and Akira was more determined than ever to make sure Aoi was safe.

Akira spent endless days and nights studying, working, and ruthlessly climbing the corporate ladder in order to fulfil that promise. And one day, he finally succeeded: he became SOL Technologies' security chief. All for Aoi.

_Everything I did was for you, Aoi. Just you,_ Akira thought. Yet he wondered: Was Aoi trying to tell him something by putting herself in danger?

_In LINK VRAINS..._

"Alright, Blue Angel! I draw!" Raguel said.

But Blue Angel said, "Lycoris' effect kicks in, which means you-!" She suddenly noticed that Lycoris was having trouble using her special ability. "What's wrong, Lycoris? Why isn't your ability-?" She then realized something important she shouldn't have missed.

"You're starting to realize what's going on, huh?" Raguel said. "Do you remember Cyreath Provocation's effect? In case you didn't, let me sum it up for you. Any monster that's affected by this Trap card and doesn't attack has their effects negated. Also, it cannot be used as a Link Material!" Blue Angel gasped upon hearing that.

"Now do you see the error you made?" Raguel asked. "Had you planned a little more carefully, you would have won. But when you attacked me directly with Holly Angel, it was like..." Raguel put his left hand to his chin and pondered before continuing, "It was like you wanted someone to notice you." A shocked expression fell on Blue Angel's face, which told Raguel everything. Bullseye.

"What would you know?" Blue Angel demanded.

"You're about to see." Raguel replied on cue. "I activate my Skill: Call of Olympus! I can Special Summon 1 random 'Cyreath' monster straight from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck. When he looked at the card, he smiled. "Through my Skill, I summon Cyreath Rushing Skeleton!" A small skeleton carrying a bomb appeared on the field, looking very antsy.

**Cyreath Rushing Skeleton: ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"And since I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 'Cyreath' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Raguel added Cyreath Empowerment from his deck to his hand.

"Since I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can Normal summon Cyreath Cyclops from my hand without tributing!" A brute with one eye, carrying a club and wearing a belt with cloth, soon joined the field.

**Cyreath Cyclops ATK: 1900 DEF: 2000 LVL: 5**

"I activate Cyreath Empowerment! By tributing 1 'Cyreath' monster, another 'Cyreath' monster I control has its attack and defense points doubled until the end of the turn! I'll tribute Cyclops, so I can double Hercules' strength!" Cyclops vanished into particles, which were absorbed by Hercules as his strength increased.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 + 2500 = 5000 **

"Battle! First, Cyreath Rushing Skeleton attacks Trickstar Lycoris! At this point, I activate my little friend's effect! If it attacks a monster whose attack is higher than it, I can destroy this card, and yours with it without applying damage calculation!" Rushing Skeleton charged towards Lycoris with a bomb that was about to explode. It tripped, and hit Lycoris, causing them to both be destroyed the detonation of the bomb.

"This can't be happening!" Blue Angel said, realizing that defeat was inevitable.

"Oh, but it is!" Raguel replied. "Now Cyreath Hercules! Time for the final battle! Attack Trickstar Holly Angel with Nemean Strike!" Holly Angel attempted to hit Hercules with her whip, but Hercules dodged the strike and delivered a massive punch using its gauntlet.

Blue Angel widened her eyes as the impact caused an explosion, throwing her off her duel board.

_I lost, Akira. I'm sorry,_ she thought, closing her eyes as she let herself fall.

**Blue Angel: 1400 – 2700 = 0**

"And the rest is silence!" Seeing Blue Angel fall, he said, "Whoops! Now I gotta catch her!" He immediately sped up on his duel board and caught Blue Angel in his arms.

"Roxy. I need you to provide a distraction so-."

"So you can have some alone time with Blue Angel." For the second time today, Raguel blushed. "Two little angels sitting in a tree. K.i.s.s.-."

"Shut up, Roxy," Raguel said, as he sped away holding Blue Angel in his arms.

Unbeknownst to him, Specter was watching the entire duel. _Just a little longer,_ he thought. Then he can execute Revolver's plan.

_Elsewhere, in Kusanagi's food truck..._

"What? The feed's been turned to static!" Kusanagi said. Turning to Yusaku, he said, "It will take a few minutes to get the feed back online, but-."

"Kusanagi, you forgot. Since there's two of us, we can get it back online at a faster rate." Yusaku stated. Kusanagi smiled as the two of them went to work. By the time they were done, the feed was back online, showing the people in LINK VRAINS enjoying the...

"Fireworks show?" Ai asked. "The duel was delayed just for a fireworks show?"

"No, Ai," Kusanagi said. "I don't think it was just for preparing for a fireworks show."

"I agree with Kusanagi's analysis, Ai," Yusaku said, supporting what Kusanagi said. "For three reasons. One: If SOL Technologies believed there would be a delay in this duel, they would have notified the public. But recent events have told me otherwise. Two: If the Hanoi had a role in this, they could have used this duel to learn more about Raguel, and then ambush him after the duel. However, we would have known because you can detect them, Ai. Three: For an unknown reason, Raguel could have caused the delay. The only way he could have done this was-."

"If he had an ally, just like with you and me," Kusanagi finished.

"Exactly," Yusaku said, nodding at Kusanagi. "Therefore, it's important to figure out who Raguel's ally is so we can understand who were dealing with. After all, I don't like unknowns."

_A few minutes earlier, in LINK VRAINS..._

"Blue Angel. Are you okay?" Raguel asked.

"Ughhh," was Blue Angel said, as she woke up. She found herself looking at Raguel's face, which was filled with concern. Her back was also against a wall as well.

"Where are we?" Blue Angel asked.

"We're on a rooftop, a few miles away from where the duel occurred." Raguel answered her. "You were about to fall, and I got you. If people saw what happened, then they'd be filled with worry for you."

"But I'm fine," Blue Angel insisted, as she tried to get up, but she would have fallen over had Raguel not caught her.

"Easy," Raguel said, catching her. "You need a few minutes in order to regain your senses. Rest and stretch. It'll help." After Raguel made sure that she wouldn't fall over again, he said, "Well. I'm glad you're safe. I have to go now." He turned around and was about to log out when he felt Blue Angel touch his shoulder.

"Wait!" Blue Angel said to him. "Earlier, you didn't want to accept my challenge." This caused Raguel to stop himself from logging out, now curious on what she wanted to say.

"Yet, you did," Blue Angel continued. "I just want to say thank you for that. But I want to know: Why did you go through with the challenge, even though you didn't want to?"

Raguel turned to face her. "There are three reasons why I accepted your challenge. One," Raguel held up a finger, "It gave me an opportunity to duel against someone who utilized a burn strategy. By dueling you, I was able to learn a lot, and can now adapt against other duelists that might use similar strategies in the future. Two," Raguel held up a second finger, "I have a friend who wanted me to accept your challenge. I did this for her, and for someone else. Three," Raguel held up a third finger, "During the duel, when you attacked with Holly Angel, I noticed that you wanted someone to notice you. On my final turn, I wanted to show you the difference between dueling for attention and dueling for someone you care about. These reasons are why, in the end, I decided to accept your challenge."

Blue Angel's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing Raguel's reasons. "I didn't know you had someone to care about. Who is it you're dueling for?"

"How about this?" Raguel said. "If you can find a true reason to duel, then I'll tell you. Farewell, Blue Angel. No, I mean," Raguel whispered in her ear, "Aoi Zaizen." This sent shivers down Blue Angel's spine.

Blue Angel couldn't do anything but watch as Raguel turned around and logged out, leaving Blue Angel alone on the rooftop.

_He knows who I am,_ Blue Angel thought. _A true reason to duel? Why else would I duel,_ she wondered.

"That was a magnificent duel, Blue Angel. Although, if it was against Playmaker, it would have been more exciting," a voice said. This caused Blue Angel to turn towards the owner of the voice. She didn't know who he was, other than that he was a strange figure.

"You're a Knight of Hanoi, aren't you?" Blue Angel said, cutting to the chase.

"Indeed I am," the person said, as he walked forward and dissolved into data, hitting her with a cold wind of data. "But I'm first and foremost your biggest fan." This transported them to a strange room. One where no one could hear them.

"Now listen to me very carefully," the person said. Blue Angel immediately turned to see Specter staring behind her. "You can call me Specter, and I can bring Playmaker straight to you." The next thing she knew, she backed away from him.

"That is what you want, isn't it?" Specter said, which surprised Blue Angel, as she realized that her back hit him. This caused her to turn around and confront him. However, he vanished.

"My sole desire is to aid my favorite duelist so that she can defeat Playmaker," Specter said from the ground, which startled Blue Angel upon looking at where his voice was coming from.

The distraction was enough, as Specter was able to raise his hand and form a purple card, which he threw at Blue Angel. At contact, a bright light shone around Blue Angel.

"If you should ever find yourself in peril during a duel, do not hesitate to put into play the card I just provided you." Specter chuckled. "May you duel well, Blue Angel," Specter said, as he left the room.

The next thing Blue Angel knew, she found herself once again on the roof. "What... What just happened? Why do I feel like I forgot something?" Unable to get her bearings, she immediately logged out.

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

Yuhiro exited the sealed room, who was really tired at the moment.

"That was awesome!" Roxy said, running to Yuhiro and making sure he wouldn't fall.

"I... hope... you're... satisfied..." Yuhiro said, walking with Roxy out of the backroom and into Café Matsuo.

"I'm just letting you know now Roxy, that after today, I don't think that-."

To his surprise, Roxy put her arms around Yuhiro, pulling him in for an embrace. Yuhiro was surprised, as the older woman didn't often give affection. All she usually gave was pep talks, sass, and care.

"Oh," was all he said, as he pat her lower back with his right hand.

"Don't get used to it," Roxy said, pulling away from the embrace and helping Yuhiro sit down on a chair.

Holding the tablet in her hands, Roxy said to Yuhiro, "You go upstairs and rest. We'll review the footage on Dancho tomorrow."

"What about you?" Yuhiro asked.

"I'll be visiting Miyu. Maybe something different will happen," Roxy said, looking hopeful as she exited Café Matsuo.

_I hope you're right, Roxy. We need some hope,_ Yuhiro thought, before going upstairs to his room.

Roxy went to the van and started it up. _Yuhiro Furutani,_ she thought, _you're a good kid with a kind soul. And some badass determination. No matter what, you'll keep going in order to fight for what's right. _She smiled to herself. _I'm glad we met. Guess that was the only thing that came out of the Incident..._

_Flashback: Ten years ago..._

"Miyu!" Roxy screamed as she ran into the police station. She reached the front desk and asked the receptionist, "Is Miyu here?" Her eyes were filled with fear as she said this.

"Easy, ma'am," the receptionist said, which earned her a snarl from Roxy. Apparently, this motivated her into checking the computer for information.

"Let's see... Miyu... Miyu Sugisaki! She's here, but I'm afraid that we're-."

"I don't have time for your bullshit!" Roxy practically screamed at the receptionist, which caused a female officer with short, blond hair to run towards the situation and place a hand on Roxy's shoulder.

"Easy!" the female police officer said. Roxy was about to turn towards her in seething anger when the police officer said, "How about I accompany you to whoever it is you're looking to see? That good with you?"

Roxy slowly nodded as the officer continued, "My name is Barbara, by the way." Barbara showed the receptionist her badge, signed a few papers, and then took Roxy to the back of the station.

"The girl, Miyu, was found by rescue workers, alongside seven other children in a small structure of the woods," Barbara said, walking with Roxy as she was trying to process what happened. "According to their testimonies, the children were subjected to extreme electrical shocks." Roxy covered her mouth with her hands in horror upon hearing this.

"What?" Roxy said, now scared for Miyu. "Who would... who would do this to children?"

"I don't know," Barbara responded sadly, "but what we do know is that, whoever this girl is, she's a fighter." When Roxy turned to Barbara, she continued: "She was able to respond to us, as well as a few others, which gives us hope that they might be able to move past this trauma. Anyway, here we are." Barbara opened the door to the room.

In the room was a small little girl, who wore a pink shirt and a red ribbon, which was similar to a sailor's outfit and a blue skirt. She also had her hair styled in twin tails. The girl was sitting on a bed, her arms around her chest, as though she was trying to get warmth.

When she turned towards Roxy, all Roxy could do was cover her hands to her mouth in joy.

"Auntie... Roxy. Is... that... you?" Miyu asked.

"Miyu!" Roxy said, as she ran forward and gave the poor girl a big hug. "Your auntie's here now, sweetie! No one is going to ever hurt you again!" Turning to the officer, she said, "Thank you so much! Do you think it will be possible to take her home?"

Barbara frowned upon hearing the request. "I'll see what I can do," was all she said, as she went to the front of the station. A few minutes later, she came back, and told Roxy that, while it wouldn't be advisable, she can take Miyu home if she wished. However, the decision was up to Miyu.

"I want to go home, please." Miyu responded to the female officer.

"If that's what you want, Hun," Barbara said. Before leaving with Roxy, Miyu gave Barbara a big hug, and thanked her for making sure she was okay.

By the time Roxy and Miyu arrived at Café Matsuo, Roxy put Miyu to rest on the couch in the living room part of the second floor and immediately called her parents. It was raining once they got there.

"June! Sebastian!" Roxy ran out in the rain and gave her big sister a hug. Her sister, June, wore a green blouse, black jacket, and jeans. She also had long hair to her shoulder blades, with it reaching up to her nape.

Sebastian, on the other hand, wore a brown hat and jacket, with a white shirt and jeans. He had combed black hair, as well as a freshly shaved mustache.

"Where is she?" June asked. Roxy let them into Café Matsuo and into the living room, where Miyu was.

"Miyu? Is that you, sweetie?" June whispered into the sleeping Miyu's ear.

"Mommy? Daddy?" Miyu woke up, and upon seeing her parents, she smiled and jumped into their arms. Roxy couldn't help but cry a bit.

A few minutes later, Miyu went back to sleep, while Roxy, June, and Sebastian, went into the dining room part of the second floor, talking.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Roxy said, running her hands through her dark, curly hair. "Just leaving without planning?"

"She needs a fresh start," Sebastian said. "Away from this city. Away from all this trauma. Maybe one day, when she's older, she'll return."

June took Roxy's hand and squeezed it in reassurance. "It's going to be okay," June assured her. "We will see each other again one day."

By the time Sebastian and June finished packing up, Miyu couldn't help but cry upon learning she might not see her aunt for a very long time.

Roxy knelt down at Miyu and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We _will_ see each other again," Roxy said, trying to fight back the tears. "After all... any promise your auntie makes, she keeps... right?"

The crying girl nodded slowly, then gave Roxy one last hug before her father took her to the car.

Roxy gave June one last hug before saying to her, "Stay safe. And don't forget to keep in contact if you need anything."

June couldn't help but chuckle. "I will, little sis. And try not to destroy the family business while we're away." Roxy watched as the family drove away from Café Matsuo. And once they were gone, she cried and let it all out.

_Two years later..._

It was evening. Roxy had just finished business for the day and was upstairs on the second floor. Just then, the doorbell rang.

When Roxy went to get it, she was surprised to see Barbara, who was now a police captain.

"Barbara!" Roxy said. "This is a surprise. What can I do for you?"

To Roxy's surprise, the female officer took off her cap. "I was wondering if we could talk in private. Something came up that you should know."

After Roxy and Barbara went inside, the two of them went to the living room part of the second floor.

"Alright, Barbara. No one can hear us. What is it?" Roxy asked.

Barbara sighed before speaking. "Something came up recently regarding your family." Roxy couldn't help but feel dread going through her spine.

"Your sister, June Matsuo, her husband Sebastian Sugisaki, and Miyu Sugisaki were involved in a traffic collision last night." Barbara continued. Roxy gasped upon hearing this information. "But we found something else."

"There's more?" Roxy said, now starting to become afraid for what Barbara might say next.

"When we examined the scene, we found your sister and her husband filled with bullets in their bodies and brains. No harm on Miyu, though, as she fell into a coma upon witnessing the act." Barbara's expression turned into immense sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Roxy. Your sister and her husband were killed."

The news was so overwhelming that Roxy felt weak to her knees, and she would have fallen had Barbara not caught her and helped her sit down on a chair. She then started crying a river of tears.

"Did you... did you catch whoever did this?" Roxy asked Barbara.

"We weren't able to, unfortunately, as he got away." Barbara replied, with a downcast expression on her face. Roxy couldn't help but continue crying as Barbara comforted her.

Once she finished crying, Roxy asked, "Can you take me to Miyu?"

_Flashback End: Present Day..._

_Ever since I saw you that day,_ Roxy thought, as she drove to the Den City Hospital, _I've promised myself that I wouldn't rest until I found out who did this to you, Miyu. Yuhiro, you made a similar promise._ A determined expression fell on Roxy's face. _Together, nothing will stop us!_

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Cyclops (LV: 5/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1900/DEF: 2000)_

_If you control a 'Cyreath' monster: You can Normal Summon this card without tributing. Once per turn, when this card declares an attack, it cannot be destroyed by card effects._

_Cyreath Rippler (LV: 1/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 100/DEF: 100) _

_When your opponent attacks you directly with a monster they control while you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your hand; negate the attack, and if you do, destroy the attacking monster. _

_Cyreath Skull Wing (LR: 1/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 300/↙️)_

_1 monster. If this card is used for a Link Summon: Inflict 300 damage to your opponent. _

_Cyreath Grand Hall (Field Spell Card)_

'_Cyreath' monsters you control gain 200 ATK. Once per turn: You can target 1 'Cyreath' Link monster you control; shuffle cards from your GY into your deck up to its Link Rating. _

_Cyreath Repulse (Quick-Play Spell Card)_

_If you would take effect damage while you control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster: Reduce all effect damage you would have taken this turn to 0._

_Cyreath Provocation (Continuous-Trap Card)_

_Monsters your opponent controls gain 100 ATK. While your opponent controls a monster, they must declare an attack; otherwise, its effects are negated and cannot be used as material for a Link Summon. _

_Trickstar Ravenna (LV: 5/Fairy/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1500)_

_If you control a 'Trickstar' monster: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per duel, if you were to Link Summon a 'Trickstar' Link Monster: You can treat this card as 2 Link Materials._

_Trickstar Rosy (__LV: 3/Fairy/Light/ATK: 900/DEF: 0)_

_When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can add 1 'Trickstar' card from your deck to your hand. While this card is in your GY, all effect damage inflicted to your opponent is doubled._

_Trickstar Dhalia (LV: 2/Fairy/Light/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)_

_If you would take effect damage: You can send this card from your hand to the GY, and if you do, effect damage you would have taken is reduced to 0._

_Trickstar Make-Up (Continuous Spell Card)_

_Effect: While this card is on the field: 'Trickstar' monsters you control gain 200 ATK and DEF. _

_Trickstar Iris Whip (Equip Spell Card)_

_Equip only to a 'Trickstar' monster you control. Once per turn, the equipped monster can attack your opponent directly, but any battle damage it inflicts is halved. When the equipped monster leaves the field: You can banish this card; add 1 'Trickstar' card from your deck to your hand._

_Trickstar Dazzle (Counter Trap Card)_

_When your opponent activates a card effect: Negate that card effect, and if you do, destroy it. _

_Trickstar Unity (Normal Trap Card)_

_Target 1 'Trickstar' monster you control; it gains ATK equal to the ATK of the 'Trickstar' monster with the highest ATK until the end of the turn. If you activate this effect, you can only attack with the targeted monster this turn._

**QOTC**

_What do you think Yuhiro/Raguel's music theme should be?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 5: Burning Advent. Exhausted from the events in LINK VRAINS, Yuhiro attempts to puzzle together Dancho's connection to the Hanoi and who else might be involved. However, when something abnormal happens to Blue Angel, Yuhiro logs into LINK VRAINS, only to be thrown into a situation involving Playmaker, Akira Zaizen, and the leader of the Knights of Hanoi himself: Revolver..._

**Responses to Reviews and Author's Notes**

Thank you to HunterHQ, SavageMaster1999, King, Lightning, and SSJ Shadow for reviewing Chapter Three of Obscured Truth.

Alright, and Chapter 4 is finished! And on time too! I'm very happy with how this chapter turned out, and I hope that you enjoy it too! We'll start by talking about the chapter, an announcement, and then go to the reviews soon after.

In this chapter was the duel between Raguel and Blue Angel. Following Dancho's escape, dueling Blue Angel was the last thing that Raguel wanted, but with some convincing from Roxy, he eventually agreed. Although Raguel was close to losing, in the end, he won the duel.

Last chapter, I promised you that Miyu's past and how she got to the Den City Hospital will be expanded. So here it goes: Two years after the Incident, Roxy receives word from a police officer named Barbara that Miyu and her parents were involved in a traffic collision. But that wasn't the only thing the police discovered, as Miyu's parents were shot. As a result, Miyu fell into a coma due to the trauma of witnessing the act. This was devastating for Roxy, as Miyu's mother, June, was her sister. The death of June, as well as the hospitalization of Miyu, is what motivates Roxy to figure out who did this to her and bring them to justice. Inspiration for this backstory came from both The Amazing Spider Man (2012) and Captain America: Civil War (2016) movies.

We also learn something about Dancho: He's hesitant about taking hostages, ever since what happened to his students. But what happened to them? You'll have to keep reading to find out for yourself.

Alright, time for the announcement: I am hosting a contest, where each of you can submit a maximum of one OC idea to me for the story per review. In order for you to enter this contest, all you need to have is an account on Fanfiction. You also need to pick a number from 1 – 1000 so that, when I pick the winning number, I know who to contact via PM. Below is the template you need to follow in order to submit your ideas to me:

Name:

Gender:

Birthday:

Age:

Eye/Hair Color: (If your character has a VRAINS avatar, put in the section In Vrains:).

Appearance:

Personality:

Residence:

Occupation:

Deck:

Skill: (Please put in how the Skill works. Also, it cannot be broken).

The winners will have their OC ideas be in the story. They will also be announced as well by the time Chapter 7 comes, so stay tuned. If, for some reason, you're not able to submit an OC but wish to request an archetype instead, just pick a number between 1 - 1000 and why you think including the archetype in the story is a good idea in your review.

And now, it's time for the reviews:

HunterHQ: Dancho isn't one of the unnamed scientists featured in Episode 64. He is, however, an old friend of Revolver and the Kogami family, and has had an influence on their lives. So you could say he's involved, but just not in that way. Right now, I'll be focusing on Link Monsters for the Greek Gods, but by Season 2, I'll start creating monsters from other parts of Greek Mythology (ex. Kronos and the Titans).

SavageMaster1999: A Link Monster based on Kratos from God of War? Okay, the idea definitely made me smile, as now I'm wondering whether to use Kratos in his youth or in his battle-hardened age. As for Chiron and Achilles, like I said for Medea in the last chapter, yes, I will make Link Monsters for them based on their appearance from Fate/Apocrypha.

King: Thank you very much King. I appreciate your positive feedback.

Lightning: You didn't sound rude at all, my friend. You were simply providing honest, constructive criticism. And trust me, every little bit helps in writing, as you can improve based on other's feedback. I'm glad to hear that you're interested in this story. As for whether Yusaku will get a Code Talker based off of Yuhiro or not, I'll have to think on that for a bit.

SSJ Shadow: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades will all be Link Monsters (or as I like to call them, the Big Three). As for who the Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz monsters will be, you'll have to wait and see. And I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far.

I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please post your thoughts on this chapter, as well as any questions you may have. Your reviews will help make this story better and better with each chapter. See you next time, as things are just starting to heat up!


	5. Chapter 5: Burning Advent

**Chapter 5: Burning Advent**

_At Café Matsuo..._

"YOU LOSE! YOU LOSE! **YOU LOSE!**"

Yuhiro screamed as the shocks overcame him. It was at that moment he woke up. _Dammit,_ he thought. _I thought I wouldn't be having that specific dream anymore._ Immediately, a sense of dread began to creep up his spine and to his brain. The last time he had that dream, something bad always happened the next day.

The next thing he knew, he heard a sound. When he put on his flip-flops and went downstairs to the second floor, he saw Roxy enter Café Matsuo. He hid behind the wall, and then followed her to the living room part of the second floor. Yuhiro saw Roxy grab a blanket and sit down. He soon overheard her crying. _Guess the duel didn't work,_ he thought. All Yuhiro wanted to do was go over there and give her a shoulder to cry on, but he didn't know if he had the courage to do that.

_No,_ he thought. _Even though I had a nightmare about my past, it didn't mean the next day had to end badly. I always faced what was in front of me, and I survived. And I'm as sure as hell that I'll continue fighting. Until the day I can see Miyu and Roxy smiling once again._ Deciding ultimately that it would be best to leave Roxy alone, he went back upstairs to bed, ready to face what tomorrow had to offer.

_The next morning..._

When Roxy woke up on the couch, she smelt something good. _Really good_. She got up, put on her glasses, and followed the smell all the way to the kitchen. Only to see none other than _Yuhiro_ cooking.

"Oh! Good morning Roxy," Yuhiro said, turning around and waving to her. "You want some eggs? Bacon? Toast?"

"You cooked all of this?" Roxy asked, shocked at what she was seeing. Usually, she would make something for herself while Yuhiro got his usual breakfast. However, to see him do this, it was different indeed.

After Yuhiro sat down with Roxy in the kitchen, the two of them practically ate the newly cooked meal, with Roxy eating at a faster rate than him.

"Guess someone was hungry," Yuhiro said, chuckling upon seeing Roxy cutting the bacon in two and putting it in her mouth.

"You definitely made my morning Yuhiro! This stuff is freakin delicious!" Roxy replied.

After a few moments of eating, Yuhiro turned to Roxy and said, "I'm sorry that the duel didn't work, Roxy."

Roxy stopped eating upon eating. She sighed and turned to Yuhiro. "It was worth a shot, though," she said, putting a hand on Yuhiro's shoulder. "I know that Miyu is going to enjoy the duel once she wakes up, though."

"She will wake up." Yuhiro said firmly. "We have to continue believing that she'll get out of that coma. Otherwise, if we give up now..."

"But we WON'T!" Roxy said, startling Yuhiro. "I think this fine breakfast you made brought my spirits back up! Anyway, why don't you help me clean up the dishes? After all, you did make the meal, right?"

Yuhiro sighed in agreement, and the two of them went to work. It was almost time to go to Den Academy by the time they were both finished.

Before Yuhiro left Café Matsuo, Roxy said from the front door, "We'll talk about Dancho once you return. Until then, if you can get a head-start regarding him and the Hanoi that will be great."

"Will do, Roxy!" Yuhiro replied, giving Roxy a fist-bump before he started the walk that would take him to Den Academy.

It was a few minutes after Yuhiro left that Roxy realized something. _I forgot to ask him about whether he succeeded with putting an E.M.S. in SOL Technologies,_ she realized. Oh well. Might as well ask him after school.

_At Den Academy..._

As he was walking to Den Academy, Yuhiro yawned, causing him to move a hand to the front of his mouth to cover it. The duels he had with Dancho and Blue Angel drained energy he didn't know he had. But he couldn't focus on that. Right now, he had to focus on Dancho. More importantly, three things:

During the duel, he mentioned that he was the Hanoi's Grandmaster. This was important for Yuhiro to know because, by knowing this information, he could learn who trained the many grunts that he faced. This also told him that he had a high rank within the Knights of Hanoi.

His Dueling style. It wasn't like a typical Knight of Hanoi to not only use a different archetype, but to also care for his Duel Monsters, that was something unexpected. _When I used Grapple-Snatch on Draco Master of the Tenyi, _he thought, _he was very angry. The next time I duel him, I'll get more answers out of him._

The person that Dancho mentioned right before he logged out of LINK VRAINS. According to Dancho, that person was monitoring his strength, and it was growing with each duel Yuhiro won. _Whoever this person is,_ Yuhiro thought, _it must be the leader of the Knights of Hanoi. If I wasn't so impulsive, I probably would have got some more information._

His thoughts, however, were interrupted, when someone bumped into him, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Oi! What's the – Zaizen?" Yuhiro stopped speaking when he noticed Aoi Zaizen was looking at him, with fresh tears coming from her eyes.

"I'm so sorry!" Aoi said, and she immediately ran off to Den Academy.

_Damn,_ Yuhiro thought, _something must've happened to Zaizen. I do hope she's okay. Wait. Why am I concerned for her well-being all of a sudden?_

"You alright?" Yuhiro turned to the owner of the voice. It was none other than Yusaku Fujiki, who was offering him a hand.

"Other than being a little sore, I'm alright Fujiki," Yuhiro said, accepting it and standing up. He soon started to walk to Den Academy, with Yusaku following him. _Great,_ he thought. The last thing he wanted was for someone to follow him right now.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Yusaku asked, snapping Yuhiro out of his thoughts.

"Sure. I guess," Yuhiro replied.

"When we were in Duel Club yesterday, you mentioned three things. Why is that?" Yusaku asked.

_He might be on to me,_ Yuhiro thought. _Gotta play it cool._ Turning to Yusaku, he said, "By listing things in groups of three, it helps me think. It also helps to not only order my thoughts, but to control my anxiety as well."

"I see. Interesting," Yusaku said.

"Now can I ask you a question?" Yuhiro asked, now resuming his walk to Den Academy.

"What do you have in mind?" Yusaku replied, now catching up to him and narrowing his eyes.

"Your Duel Disk. It's the same one I have." Yuhiro stated. He then stopped to face Yusaku. "Do you remember how you got yours?"

Yusaku shook his head. "No. Unfortunately, I don't remember how I got my Duel Disk."

Suddenly, Yuhiro's watch beeped several times. When Yuhiro looked at it, he realized he was going to be late for his Introduction to Design class.

"Sorry, gotta run!" Yuhiro said to Yusaku as he ran off, with Yusaku responding with a bored wave.

"Are you sure this kid is Raguel?" Ai asked, moving its eye to Yusaku.

"I'm 100% positive he is, Ai. And didn't I tell you to be quiet?" Yusaku said, berating Ai as he continued walking to Den Academy.

"Sheesh. Didn't mean to be a pain in your butt," Ai replied, now slightly annoyed.

_A few hours later..._

Yuhiro sighed as he listened to the teacher's lesson, which was about using the different aspects of PowerPoint to make a poster. Boring. Instead of paying attention to the teacher, Yuhiro immediately got out his tablet and started researching Duel Dojos, for Dancho had to come from one of them if he was indeed the Hanoi's Grandmaster.

_Let's see,_ Yuhiro thought. _No. No. And definitely no,_ he thought, as he swiped his finger across the screen, showing several different Duel Dojos. But none of them seemed to match.

Until he found one that might look interesting. _The Shinpi-Tekina Duel Dojo,_ Yuhiro read. From what Yuhiro knew about the dojo, it was one of the top Duel Dojos around the world because of its balance between dueling, martial arts, and inner peace. According to an article, the dojo closed because of an incident that occurred involving the students and the people living nearby the dojo. Following the incident, the grandmaster in charge of the dojo went into exile, never to return.

_The owner of the Dojo: Zandaka Ikiagi_, Yuhiro read. This man right here might be the only lead he has to the Hanoi! _If I find him, that is,_ Yuhiro thought, rolling his eyes.

"Excuse me." Aoi suddenly said to the teacher, drawing Yuhiro's attention. "May I please use the washroom?"

"Go ahead," the teacher said, letting Aoi leave the classroom. Upon receiving the teacher's answer, Aoi immediately left the classroom.

A few minutes later, Yuhiro received a text from Roxy.

_Have u checked the live feed,_ the text read.

When Yuhiro looked on the live feed on his tablet, it showed that a duel between Blue Angel and Playmaker was about to start!

_I definitely don't like this,_ Yuhiro thought. Raising his hand to get the teacher's attention, he asked, "Is it okay if I use the washroom?"

"It's fine with me," the teacher replied. "Just don't take too long."

After Yuhiro ran out of the classroom, he found a space just outside the classrooms. This way, once he was done in LINK VRAINS, he can blend in right away with the students.

Yuhiro took out his deck and inserted it into his Duel Disk. "Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel found himself on a rooftop overlooking the Data Stream. As he looked down, he saw Blue Angel and Playmaker race past him. Realizing that they would notice if he followed them on his Duel Board, Raguel pressed a button on his Duel Disk, releasing a small, black fly with a camera and orange eyes. "E.M.S. Keep an eye on Playmaker and Blue Angel. Also, please record their duel." The fly saluted him before flying away, following the stream of data.

_Let's see what we got here,_ Raguel thought, pressing another button on his Duel Disk. It connected him to E.M.S., which let him see the duel.

The duel started similar to his: Blue Angel activated Trickstar Light Stage, and summoned three Trickstar monsters: Lilybell, Candina, and Lycoris. She then used the first two to Link Summon Trickstar Holly Angel and concluded her turn by setting two cards face-down.

Playmaker was up next: After receiving effect damage from Blue Angel's cards, he performed two consecutive Link Summons before bringing out Decode Talker. Unfortunately, it was all for naught, as Blue Angel used a combo consisting of Trickstar Reincarnation and Lycoris to not only decrease Playmaker's Life Points, but also increase Holly Angel's attack points and destroy Decode Talker as well.

Despite the setback, Playmaker was able to summon Salvagent Driver, which would be able to defend his Life Points if he was attacked.

When Blue Angel declared her turn and drew a card, Raguel experienced a splitting headache.

_What's with this pain,_ Raguel thought. It was the same pain he felt yesterday prior to his duel with Blue Angel. _No,_ he thought. Pushing a few buttons on his Duel Disk, he had E.M.S. take a scan on the card Blue Angel drew. After scanning it's code, Raguel widened his eyes in shock. It was a Hanoi card!

Looking back at the duel, Raguel couldn't help but watch in horror as Blue Angel suddenly turned serious and cold real fast. She then started screaming in anger and pain until tears started coming out of her eyes. _Please win this duel Playmaker,_ Raguel thought.

Luckily, Playmaker won the duel by raising Encode Talker's attack points and lowering Holly Angel's, so that he can win with one blow.

As Encode Talker destroyed Holly Angel, Raguel zoomed in on the screen showing Blue Angel and noticed something. She was crying.

_A few hours later, at Café Matsuo..._

"Damn," was all Roxy said, after watching the duel between Blue Angel and Playmaker. "Poor Blue Angel. I do hope she's okay." She cleaned her glasses after saying that.

"The Hanoi did this to her," Yuhiro said, turning to face her. "Thanks to E.M.S., I was able to get a sample of that code. If only I noticed it earlier..." Yuhiro said, putting his hands through his hair and starting to get stressed out.

"Take it easy," Roxy said, putting a hand on Yuhiro's shoulder. "At the time, you wouldn't have known what was going on. Hanoi is the type of villain that's patient and persistent. And trust me, that's the worst type of villain you want to go up against."

"Still," Yuhiro said, now starting to type on the digital keyboard, "It doesn't make me any less guilty. You said yesterday that Aoi was, and still is, Miyu's childhood friend. I want there to be someone she recognizes alive and well once she wakes up."

"Then let me," Roxy said, putting her hand on Yuhiro's wrist and stopping him from typing. Yuhiro was about to protest when she added, "You're not the only one who wants to make sure others are alive and well. I'll take a look. In the meanwhile, you go get some rest."

"But-."

"No buts," Roxy said, now giving Yuhiro 'the look'. "You still need to recover from the duels you experienced yesterday. Go to bed. I _insist_ on it."

Yuhiro wanted to object, but immediately yawned upon standing up. _I guess some rest will do,_ he thought.

"Alright," Yuhiro said, agreeing with Roxy. "Should you find anything, please let me know."

_The next day..._

Yuhiro walked into Café Matsuo's backroom, having been refreshed by the hours of sleep he got. When he woke up this morning, Roxy was still working on going through Hanoi's code, so he ran the fast-food restaurant with the Steward Bot in her absence. It was in the afternoon of Blue Angel's duel with Playmaker when Roxy called him over.

"What is it?" Yuhiro asked, walking over and taking the seat that was close to the closed-space.

"Well, I finished paraphrasing the code. But I got some bad news," Roxy said, turning to face Yuhiro. Not only did she have bags under her eyes due to lack of sleep, but the task made her exhausted as well.

"Just speak." Yuhiro replied.

"You're not going to like this," Roxy said, typing on the digital keyboard. "After going through the code, I found this!"

When Yuhiro turned to face the monitor, his eyes widened in shock. "This is-."

"A virus," Roxy confirmed. "But this one is unlike anything I've seen before. Take a look at this." A screen on the monitor showed a pink substance entering a person through their fingertips and go all the way up to their brain. "Apparently, the virus was designed to invade a person's brain and damage them to the point of going into a coma. And the only way for that to happen is-."

"Through a card," Yuhiro finished for her. "The card Blue Angel played before she went berserk." Suddenly, he realized something. And so did Roxy too. "The Hanoi used her! To not only duel Playmaker, but in the event that he wins-!"

"To turn her into a hostage!" Roxy concluded. She then opened another window and hacked into the Den City Hospital's cameras. It showed a comatose Aoi, who was sleeping. "They must have the removal program, which they'll use to force Playmaker to duel them with the AI Program and removal program at stake."

"Exactly!" Yuhiro said. The next thing the two of them knew, the monitor beeped. Yuhiro immediately clicked on the notification icon, which opened up another window on the monitor. What Yuhiro and Roxy saw next would surprise them both.

"Playmaker! You'll pay for what you did to me!" Blue Angel said in LINK VRAINS. She was standing on top of a massive skyscraper. "If you're watching this, then come on out and duel me again!"

"Okay. I thought she was in the hospital." Yuhiro said.

"Well, duh. She is." Roxy switched the screen to the hospital camera, which still showed the comatose Aoi.

"Then this is most certainly a trap for Playmaker," Yuhiro concluded. "And an obvious one at that. What I don't know is whether this is Hanoi's or SOL's trap."

He got up from his chair. "I'm going into LINK VRAINS. Playmaker may be aware that it's a trap, but if he walks into it to help Blue Angel, he'll need backup." Yuhiro was about to run off to the closed-off space when Roxy got up and grabbed Yuhiro's wrist.

"Hold on a minute. If you insist on doing this," Roxy said, now dragging Yuhiro to the workshop, "then you'll need all the help you can get. I made a new gauntlet recently, and I think you should check it out."

_At Café Matsuo's workshop..._

"So what am I looking at? And how does it even work?" Yuhiro asked. The gauntlet on the table was colored grey, with black and purple armor surrounding it. From what Yuhiro was able to conclude, it literally looked like Gouki the Great Ogre's hand.

"Don't be so intimidated by it's size!" Roxy suddenly said, standing beside him. "The fist might be big, but you're still able to fit it in your right hand." When Yuhiro raised an eyebrow and turned to face her, she sighed. "Just watch the video." She motioned for him to watch the video on her laptop.

In the video, a figure equipped the new gauntlet on their hand. Next to them was a pile of huge boulders, which no average human could lift. However, by using the new gauntlet, the figure was able to grab the boulder and throw it at a group of dummies with one hand. Yuhiro couldn't help but laugh in amazement upon seeing the gauntlet in action.

"Roxanne Matsuo," Yuhiro said, turning to face her, "you've outdone yourself. This will certainly help if I'm in a scuffle." He then frowned. "But I can't use this if I'm in a duel, can I?"

"Of course not!" Roxy said, now turning around and leaving the workshop, with Yuhiro following her. "The hand's too big." She then smiled. "I'm thinking of calling it 'The Big Man'. Get the joke?" When Yuhiro raised an eyebrow, she sighed. "The gauntlet is downloaded into your Duel Disk. And be aware that you can only wear one gauntlet at a time."

"I hear you loud and clear," Yuhiro said, now heading to the closed-off space. He entered the closed-off space and put his deck in his Duel Disk. "Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel landed on a rooftop some distance away from the one 'Blue Angel' was on. Once he landed, he noticed Playmaker enter LINK VRAINS, and of course, he landed on the same rooftop 'Blue Angel' was on. Using his Duel Anchor to latch onto the nearby building, Raguel jumped over to them, getting as close as he could without being noticed.

"So who are you?" Playmaker asked 'Blue Angel'. "That's a pretty good disguise, but not good enough to fool me." Raguel was impressed. Even though Playmaker knew it was a trap, he luckily had a game plan.

"Wow. What gave it away? And I thought I nailed these pigtails! It took forever!" the fake Blue Angel said. She immediately pulled a rose out of thin air. "Well, no matter. I didn't come to do impressions. Here's a little gift for showing up!"

She threw the rose at Playmaker. Once it landed at his feet, it glowed and created a circle around him. It exerted a gravitational pressure around him that forced him to his knees.

The next thing Raguel knew, the light spread from the building to the ones around it. Uh-oh. He quickly leaped onto another rooftop nearby, where he could watch what was going on safely. Within a few minutes, the outer buildings turned into spires of rock. The building that Playmaker was on lowered into a building that resembled a church.

"Roxy. Are you getting any of this?" Raguel asked. "Roxy? Roxy?!"

Meanwhile, back in Café Matsuo's backroom, Roxy was having the same trouble. "Son of a-!" she said, upon realizing that her connection to Yuhiro was severed. "Let's try the emergency cameras!" After a few quick keystrokes on the digital keyboard, Roxy was able to see Yuhiro. "Oi, Yuhiro, you there?"

"Roxy? Thank god!" Raguel replied. "Playmaker obviously fell for the trap. I'm going in to investigate. Make sure you watch my back."

"I hear you loud and clear, captain," Roxy said through Raguel's earpiece.

Using his Duel Anchor, Raguel latched onto one of the spires and jumped towards it, holding on in order to prevent himself from falling. He managed to get a good view of Playmaker, who was trapped in what looked liked a ghoul's hand, as well as the mess he was in.

"Don't take this personally," the fake Blue Angel said as she snapped her fingers, "but this is all part of the job." As she spoke, she used her own voice. Wait a minute. Raguel recognized that voice anywhere.

"So then you're working for someone," Playmaker said, putting two and two together.

"Ya. And I'm pretty good at what I do," the woman said, her Blue Angel avatar peeling away. Once it was done, her true appearance was shown. The woman had long grey hair and grey eyes with a black ninja mask covering the lower half of her face. She also wore a simple skin-tight black and blue jumpsuit that left her forearms and upper legs exposed, as well as black stockings and boots. "The name's Ghost Girl. I'd love to talk more, but you seem all tied up at the moment."

_Shit,_ Raguel thought. _Of all the people to trap Playmaker, it had to be you, Ghost Girl. No one else could write a program this complex in a short period of time!_

"Who would hire you to catch me?" Playmaker demanded. As if to answer his question, a person that Raguel recognized as Akira Zaizen logged into LINK VRAINS.

_I gotta get closer,_ Raguel thought. He jumped down to the ledges on the outside of the church. He shuffled to the side until he could find some ground, as well as a wall to hide behind.

Raguel looked at the situation that was unfolding in front of him. There was a bed where the altar should have been, with the _real_ Blue Angel lying unconscious on it. And although he couldn't hear what they were saying, nearby it, Akira was confronting Playmaker.

Raguel's eyes widened in shock when he saw Akira torturing Playmaker for information by tightening the bindings on him, making him scream in pain. He soon decided: THIS COULD NOT CONTINUE!

Before Raguel could step around the wall and confront them, a burst of lightning broke through the roof. As it disappeared, it showed a figure kneeling where it had struck. It was a tanned man with yellow eyes behind a transparent mask and black hair with orange and red highlights. He also wore a white sleeveless coat with a white jumpsuit under it. As the man stood up, Raguel moved a little bit closer away from the wall, wanting to know what was going on.

"Revolver!" Ghost Girl said, realizing who the individual was.

"What is the leader of the Knights of Hanoi doing here?" Akira demanded.

"Let Playmaker go!" Revolver said as he faced away from Akira and Ghost Girl. "I'll be the one to face him."

"That will not happen!" Akira retorted.

Revolver turned to face Akira and Ghost Girl. "Then perhaps I need to give you a demonstration of my power." He raised his right hand to the sky, making everyone, including Raguel, look up. A data cyclone descended on top of him. He then had it spread outward, making it destroy one side of the church.

"What's with this power?" Raguel whispered. If this man was truly _the_ leader of the Knights of Hanoi, he was definitely proving it.

"I could easily destroy LINK VRAINS if I wanted to," Revolver calmly said, "but I'm not here to do that." His face then turned deadly serious as he pointed his finger towards Akira. "I'm here to challenge Playmaker to a duel, and you will do nothing but stand there, like the useless statue you are."

Akira grit his teeth as Revolver continued. "If Playmaker wins, I'll give him the removal program to cure Blue Angel. But if I win, not only shall I take his Ignis, but Blue Angel will never wake up again!"

"That means, you were the ones who infected my sister," Akira said, now realizing that Playmaker was innocent.

"Correct," Revolver replied, completely calm. "And even if you didn't trust Playmaker to save Blue Angel's life, you never had a choice!"

"Wrong! There's always a choice!" Raguel said, now stepping out into the open. He was about to shoot out his Duel Anchor at Revolver when suddenly, what looked like a draconic fiend with wings and claws tackled Raguel and pushed him forward to the ground. The monster managed to pin Raguel in place as he struggled.

"Ah, what fresh meat," the draconic fiend said. "It's been a while since I enjoyed a fine meal."

"Get off me!" Raguel shouted, firing electricity from the Cracker gauntlet at the fiend, pushing him back. He then pulled out his sword and revved it up.

"Raguel?" both Ghost Girl and Akira said in shock. The next thing they knew, more demonic creatures appeared. One demon had red-skin with blue armor. It also wielded two swords, one blue and one red, and had a tail resembling a dragon's head. Another demon had grey blue skin, with broken blue horns, and was also muscular.

Raguel immediately fired more electrical blasts from his Cracker gauntlet, which the draconic fiend easily dodged. Meanwhile, Ghost Girl avoided the sword slashes from the blue-armored demon, while Akira narrowly rolled out of the way to avoid a punch from the muscular demon.

Before Raguel could charge at the draconic fiend, he was pinned down by another winged demon from behind, with his head facing the ground. Only this time, this demon had blue skin, with wings and claws, as well as braided hair.

"Damn it!" Raguel said, as he struggled to break free. "Get off me!" Suddenly, he heard screaming. Ghost Girl was constricted by the blue-armored demon's dragon tail, while Akira was being restrained by a bear hug from the muscular demon.

"Infearno." Revolver said, as a tall, pale-skinned, bald male adult with light brown eyes walked into the church a few meters away from Revolver. He wore a pure, white colored clergy shirt, with white pants and shoes, making him look like a minister. What distinguished him the most was his large burnt scar covering the entire left side of his head and barely creeping up to his face.

"Well? Doesn't it excite you?" Infearno asked Revolver. "That the two duelists you've always wanted to duel are now finally in your grasp?" He turned to look at Playmaker and smiled. "Isn't it magnificent? You finally have the chance to capture the Ignis, and as the cherry on top, Raguel is here as well." He then turned to Akira and frowned at him. "You should've obeyed Revolver when he stated his wishes to duel Playmaker. If you had, I wouldn't have had to send my demons to punish you, the woman, and Raguel."

"These demons are your pets?" Akira snarled. "Have them release us!" Upon saying that, the blue muscular demon tightened its bear hug on him, bringing Akira more and more pain.

"Restraint, Cir!" Infearno commanded. The demon complied, loosening its bear hug on Akira. When Infearno walked over to him, he slapped him across the face using both sides of his right hand. Revolver did nothing but watched the events as it transpired.

"There is something that you don't know," Infearno said, turning away from Akira. "Should I tell him, Revolver?" When Revolver nodded, he continued, looking into Akira's eyes. "Revolver only has half of the removal program. I have the other half, which can only be obtained if Raguel beats me in a duel. If either you or Raguel refuses my kind offer, I'll ensure that Blue Angel doesn't have a soul or avatar once my demons finish feasting on them." In saying that, Akira's eyes widened in shock, horror, and fear.

Infearno then knelt on one knee so he could face Raguel. "Your duel against Dancho was impressive. I want to see that strength myself. Do you accept my challenge?"

"Fine!" Raguel said, looking at Infearno. "I accept your damn challenge! Just have these demons release us!"

"Of course." Infearno replied. Raising his left hand, he said, "Cir. Malacoda. Graff. Libic. Return!" All four demons turned into energy, as they returned to Infearno's Duel Disk. At that moment, Ghost Girl, Raguel, and Akira were freed from the demons' grasp.

Akira, knowing that he had no choice but to rely on Raguel and Playmaker, unclenched his fist. "Do not make me regret this later," he warned Playmaker, as the purple glow disappeared from his fist. The program holding Playmaker also dispersed, causing him to fall and land on the ground.

"Let's never do that again, okay?" Ai commented. Revolver smirked at that.

"I'll be waiting, Playmaker," he said. Another data cyclone engulfed him and carried him out of the church.

"I will also be waiting for you, Raguel. If you have anything else to say to _them_, now's the time," Infearno said. Unlike Revolver, he walked outside of the church and waited.

Before Playmaker ran off to confront Revolver, Akira stopped him. "Playmaker," Akira said, "I... I don't know what to say. You're going to duel him to save my sister. Even after everything I've put you through and refusing to believe anything you've said, you'll still fight to help me even though you should hate me?"

"I forgive you," Playmaker answered Akira, making him widen his eyes in surprise. Turning to face Akira, he continued. "But I'll never forgive the Knights of Hanoi." He left, heading towards the data stream. Raguel sighed.

"You know, I was going to intervene when I saw you torturing Playmaker," he told Akira. "While pain is sometimes necessary, there are limits. Otherwise, we're no better than our enemies." Raguel was about to walk out when Akira stopped him too.

"Raguel, I don't understand. Why are you here?" Akira asked. "You didn't have to try and challenge Revolver, but you did anyway. Why?"

Raguel thought about it and then replied, "Before my duel with Blue Angel yesterday, I sensed something. At the time, had I been calmer and more focused, I would have been able to notice that something was amiss. I could've prevented the virus from affecting her." He turned to face Akira. "While I can't change the past, I can change her future by fighting for her now." Raguel turned around and left before Akira could reply. He released E.M.S. to record Playmaker and Revolver's duel so that he and Roxy can watch it later.

Akira was about to say something when Ghost Girl put a hand on his shoulder. "Let him go," she said. "I've crossed paths with him before. Once he sets his mind to something, he won't stop until the task is complete."

"I hope you're right, Ghost Girl," Akira lamented. Turning to Blue Angel, he took her hand in his and gave it a small squeeze. _Just a little longer,_ Akira thought. _Once Playmaker and Raguel win their duels, you'll wake up again. I promise._

Raguel called his duel board and rode on the data stream. Infearno came alongside him, riding a longer white board with a pair of small fins on both sides of the rear. The white surface was made of several vertical pitch-black layers and had silver metal accents on both sides of the front and its midsection. It also had a dark grey area running across the duel board's midsection, seemingly splitting it in half.

"Better listen now, Infearno," Raguel said. "Because once I defeat you, I'll obtain half of the removal program needed to cure Blue Angel. And I'll make sure people like you never threaten LINK VRAINS again!"

"You seem certain that you'll defeat me," Infearno replied. Turning to face Raguel, he said, "But you're not facing a typical opponent. No. You're facing someone who has a legion of demons at their command, which will be your downfall."

At that moment, the ground erupted. "What the hell?" Raguel said, glancing down with wide eyes. The streets beneath him broke apart, and lava spewed out from them. Looking around the city, he saw that all of LINK VRAINS had been covered by ash and fire. The sky was also covered in black clouds.

Infearno started laughing. "Now this is perfect!" he shouted, raising his arms into the sky. "Thank you, Revolver, for setting the stage for this grand duel." Turning to Raguel once again, he said, "Once you lose this duel, you'll be sent to Hell, where your memory shall be forgotten, never to be remembered again."

"We'll see about that!" Raguel boldly replied.

"Speed Duel!" both duelists shouted.

**Infearno: 4000 LP**

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

"I will allow you to take the first turn," Infearno said.

"You'll regret that choice!" Raguel shouted. "My turn! First, I activate Cyreath Treasure! This card allows me to draw 2 cards, in exchange for discarding 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand!" Raguel discarded Cyreath Wandering Soul from his hand and drew two cards. _If I summon a strong monster quickly, _Raguel thought, _I can hold the fort for a bit before coming up with a plan._

"I'll activate the effect of Cyreath Wandering Soul in my Graveyard!" Raguel said, thrusting out his right hand. "By banishing it, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Next, I'll Set one card, and summon Cyreath Barbarian!" A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as he fired a burst of energy from his hand, creating the Link Portal. He, alongside Barbarian and the Wanderer token, entered the portal.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Barbarian and the Cyreath Wanderer token in the Link Markers!" Barbarian entered the upper arrowhead, while the Wanderer token entered the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Ride into battle! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the right Extra Monster Zone. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"And since Cyreath Barbarian was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned Monster that used it as material gains 500 attack points!" Raguel added.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 + 500 = 2500**

"I activate the Field Spell, Cyreath Grand Hall! With this card, all 'Cyreath' monsters I control gain 200 attack points!"

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2500 + 200 = 2700**

"I end my turn." Raguel concluded. "So, have you realized who you're up against yet?"

"It is you who should realize who you're up against!" Infearno declared. "My turn! I draw! I activate the Spell card, Pre-Preparation of Rites! Not only does this card let me add a Ritual Spell card from my deck to my hand, I can also add a Ritual Monster from my deck or Graveyard to my hand whose name is listed on that Ritual Spell!" Using Pre-Preparation of Rites, Infearno added Good and Evil in the Burning Abyss and Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss.

_Ritual Summoning?_ Raguel thought. He hadn't seen a Ritual Monster in a long time. Luckily, should Infearno attack with his Ritual monster, his face down card will make him run like a chicken.

"I activate the Ritual Spell card, Good and Evil in the Burning Abyss! This card lets me tribute monsters from my hand or field whose combined levels equal or exceed that of the stated Ritual Monster, and then summon it from my hand." Infearno explained as he smiled. "I'll tribute the Level 3 Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and the Level 3 Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my hand." A dark red magic circle with six flames appeared on his field, along with two demonic monsters. One was a draconic fiend with wings and claws, while the other was a muscular demon with grey blue skin and broken blue horns.

Both demons disintegrated into light and entered the center of the circle, which emitted a pillar of dark red light.

"The contract's been made!" Infearno chanted, his Duel Disk's screen and black sections glowing dark red. "Demonic leader residing in the eighth circle of Hell! Accept these two sacrifices and serve your master! Ritual Summon! Rise, Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss!" The red-skinned demon in blue armor soon emerged from the portal and onto Infearno's field. It wielded two swords, one blue and one red, and also had a tail resembling a dragon's head.

**Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2700 DEF: 2000 LVL: 6**

"I will dispose of anyone who dares oppose my master!" Malacoda snarled at Raguel.

"Patience, Malacoda," Infearno said to the demon. "You'll have your chance soon. At this point, the effects of your brethren, Graff and Cir, both activate! When Graff is sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a 'Burning Abyss' monster from my deck! Serve me, Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A winged demon with blue skin wings and claws, as well as braided hair, appeared on the field.

**Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1300 DEF: 700 LVL: 3**

"Cir's effect! As it was sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a 'Burning Abyss' monster from my Graveyard. Return, Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" The draconic fiend with wings and claws soon returned to the field and licked its lips at Raguel, making him shiver.

**Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 DEF: 1500 LVL: 3**

"Ah, Libic! Good to see you again, old friend," Graff said. "Isn't that the tasty human from before?"

"It sure is!" Libic replied, now eager to battle.

"Okay, why the hell are your Duel monsters talking?" Raguel asked, now curious. "Is it due to their program?"

"Something like that," Infearno replied. Continuing his turn, he thrust his right hand into the sky and said, "Appear! The circuit of blood and death!" He fired a red bolt of lightning into the sky, creating a Link Portal. He, Libic, Graff, and Malacoda went into it shortly after.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two Level 3 monsters! I'll set Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss in the Link Markers!" Graff went to the bottom-left arrowhead, while Libic went to the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Arrive from Hell and assert your dominance! Link 2! Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss!" A dark angel emerged from the Link Portal. It had the head of an ox, the head of a lion, the head of an eagle, and the head of a redheaded woman on its chest, as well as wings on its back and crossed over its chest. It wielded a red curving sword in its left hand, which lit on fire. Upon being summoned to the Extra Monster Zone, all four heads screeched really loud at Raguel, causing both him and Chariot Commander to cover their ears.

**Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss ATK: 500 LINK-2** ↙️↘️

_Great,_ Raguel thought. _A Link and a Ritual Monster. But if he falls for my face-down card, I can make a comeback!_

"I activate Cherubini's effect!" Infearno declared. "Once per turn, I can send a Level 3 monster from my deck to the Graveyard, and if I do, one 'Burning Abyss' monster I control gains its attack and defense points until the End Phase! I'll send Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my deck to the Graveyard, and have Cherubini gain its 1400 attack points!"

**Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss ATK: 500 + 1400 = 1900**

"And since Calcab was sent to the Graveyard," Infearno continued, "one Set Spell or Trap card returns to its owner's hand! There is only one at the moment on your side of the field, Raguel. And I'll choose yours!" Raguel could do nothing but widen his eyes in shock as his Set card, Cyreath Rebound, vanished into particles and returned to his hand.

"That's not all!" Infearno said. "I'll also activate Malacoda's effect! By sending a 'Burning Abyss' monster from my hand to the Graveyard, one monster you control loses attack and defense points equal to the sent monsters until the End Phase! I'll send Draghig, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my hand to the Graveyard, which means your Cyreath Chariot Commander loses 1100 attack points!"

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2700 – 1100 = 1600**

"Draghig's effect! If it's sent to the Graveyard, I can choose a 'Burning Abyss' card from my deck and place it on top of my deck!" Using Draghig's effect, Infearno put The Traveler and the Burning Abyss to the top of his deck.

"I Set one card. Battle!" Infearno shouted. "First, Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss attacks Cyreath Chariot Commander! Abysmal Destruction!"

"As you command, master," Malacoda said, as the blue-armored demon's swords lit on fire. It then charged at Chariot Commander, destroying it with two, long slashes across its torso. An explosion soon followed, pushing Raguel back and making him wobble on his duel board.

**Raguel: 4000 – 1100 = 2900 LP**

"And now Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss attacks you directly!" Infearno said. "Cursed Stinger!" Cherubini flew forward and stabbed Raguel in the left side of his stomach using its red curving sword. Upon making contact, the sword lit up on fire.

"How do you like the pain from Hell itself?" all four heads of Cherubini asked Raguel. Raguel's only response was to scream from the pain he was experiencing. _How am I even experiencing this pain,_ he thought. If these demonic creatures were able to inflict _real_ pain to someone's avatar, then something definitely wasn't right.

**Raguel: 2900 – 1900 = 1000 LP**

"Enough, Cherubini," Infearno commanded. The dark angel pulled out its sword out of Raguel's left side of his stomach, making him cough out blood. It then retreated to Infearno's field. "I'll end my turn from here, which means that both Cherubini's and Malacoda's effects end."

**Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1900 – 1400 = 500**

"Do you see that you cannot defeat me?" Infearno asked Raguel, turning to face him. "You'd be better off surrendering now."

"Hell no!" Raguel replied. "I'm not surrendering. Because if I did, I'd dishonor the people I'm fighting for!" Raguel immediately drew the top card from his deck. "My turn! I draw!" _Okay, as long as Cherubini and Malacoda are on his field, he can send his demon minions to the Graveyard to activate their effects, which can be anything,_ Raguel thought, slightly panicking. _But I need to persevere through this duel. For the Zaizens, for Roxy, and for Miyu!_

Taking a deep breath, he said, "I activate Link Reborn!" The card showed Auram the World Chalice Blademaster, Ib the World Chalice Priestess, and Imduk the World Chalice Dragon in a dark cave. Ib was pointing to a bright light, which signaled the exit of the cave. "This card lets me Special Summon 1 Link Monster from my Graveyard! However, it can't attack for the rest of this turn! Appear, once again! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" The ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames returned to the field, pointing to the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"Cyreath Grand Hall's effect!"

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 + 200 = 2200**

"Now I summon Cyreath Icarus!" An angelic warrior with a white tunic and brown sandals, carrying a modified bow joined the field.

**Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LVL: 3**

"Icarus' effect!" Raguel declared. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Return, Cyreath Barbarian!" The man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined its Cyreath companions on the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Cyreath Grand Hall boosts each of my new monsters by 200 attack points!" Raguel pointed out.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 + 200 = 1700**

**Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 + 200 = 1400**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel soon created a Link Portal, and entered into it alongside Chariot Commander, Icarus, and Barbarian.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is 1 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Icarus in the Link Marker!" Icarus went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. By doing this, both Scorpius and Chariot Commander were co-linked.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Cyreath Grand Hall's effect activates once more!"

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 + 200 = 1200**

"And now I activate the effect of Cyreath Chariot Commander! When a monster is summoned to a zone this card points to, I can destroy 1 card you control! And I'll choose Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss!" Chariot Commander threw a fireball at Cherubini, drowning the dark angel in blue flames.

"That's surprising," Infearno commented. "Usually, people would go after the stronger monster, which in this case would be Malacoda. Yet why go after the weaker one?"

"I'm not an idiot," Raguel replied. "Your monsters have _interesting_ abilities. Best to get rid of anything that might throw you off your course!" Raising his right hand to the sky, he said, "Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Soon after, Raguel created a Link Portal and entered it with Scorpius and Chariot Commander.

"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Scorpius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Chariot Commander, which is a Link 2 monster, in the Link Markers!" Scorpius entered the bottom arrowhead, while Chariot Commander split in two and entered the top left and top right arrowheads.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"So this is your ace monster," Infearno muttered. "My demons and I will take great pleasure in destroying it!"

"That's where you're wrong, Infearno!" Raguel said. "I activate my Skill: Call of Olympus! I can Special Summon 1 random 'Cyreath' monster straight from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck. When he looked at the card, he shrugged his shoulders. _This will work,_ he thought. "Through my Skill, I summon Cyreath Sentry!" A gaunt, muscular warrior with a massive shield and small sword soon joined the field.

**Cyreath Sentry ATK: 2000 DEF: 2000 LVL: 5**

"And since I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 'Cyreath' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Raguel added Cyreath Guidance to his hand.

"Also, Cyreath Grand Hall will boost my monsters attack points by 200 each!"

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 + 200 = 2700**

**Cyreath Sentry ATK: 2000 + 200 = 2200**

"Hercules' effect! Monsters this card points to lose 500 attack points! Nemean Roar!" Hercules let out a massive roar, hitting Malacoda and slightly pushing the demon back.

**Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2700 – 500 = 2200**

"Sentry's effect!" Raguel continued. "Once, when this card is on the field, I can target 1 Link Monster I control and place 'Refraction' counters on that monster equal to its Link Rating! I choose Cyreath Hercules, meaning that it gains 3 Refraction counters!"

**Cyreath Hercules RC: 0 + 3 = 3**

"I then activate Cyreath Guidance!" The card showed Cyreath Valkyrie, Cyreath Icarus, and Cyreath Hercules praying for advice. "Once per turn, if I declare an attack with a 'Cyreath' Link Monster I control, I can declare 1 type of card and reveal the top card of my deck to you. If I guess correctly, all damage inflicted by that monster is doubled this turn! Otherwise, my battle phase ends."

"So you're gambling?" Infearno asked, now curious at what Raguel was planning. "I'll stop your efforts before they bear fruit! I activate Malacoda's effect! By sending a 'Burning Abyss' monster from my hand to the Graveyard, one monster you control loses attack and defense points equal to the sent monsters until the End Phase! I'll send Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my hand to the Graveyard to lower Cyreath Hercules' attack points by 800!"

"Burn in hellfire!" Malacoda screeched as it released fire from its two swords towards Hercules. But...

"Sentry's other effect!" Raguel declared. "If a Link Monster I control would be targeted by battle or card effect, I can simply remove a 'Refraction' counter from that monster instead."

"What?" Infearno said, surprised, as he watched a transparent golden barrier protect Hercules from Malacoda's flames.

**Cyreath Hercules RC: 3 – 1 = 2**

"Now, where were we?" Raguel wondered. "Oh yeah. I'll use Cyreath Guidance's effect! I think the top card will be a Spell card!" _Help me deck,_ Raguel thought. _Give me the guidance I need to win this duel for everyone I care about! _"I draw!" Raguel declared. After looking at the card, he smiled. "The card I drew was Grapple-Snatch, which is a Continuous-Spell card. You know what that means!"

_Damn it,_ Infearno thought. _This kid has turned the duel around using luck!_ He then smirked to himself upon seeing that they were just about to enter the Data Storm that was ahead. _But I still have my secret weapon._

"Sorry to interrupt your moment," Roxy said through Raguel's earpiece, "but Yuhiro, you might want to look ahead."

Raguel looked ahead and saw that they just entered into an intense Data Storm! Damn it! How could he not see that coming?

_I have to end this quick and get out of here,_ he thought. "Now battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Hercules attacks Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss! Nemean Strike!" Hercules charged forward and smashed Malacoda in the face using his right gauntlet, making the demon scream in pain as it was destroyed.

**Infearno: 4000 – 1000 = 3000 LP **

"Hercules' effect! Since your monster's attack points was different than its original attack points, you'll take damage equal to half your monster's original attack! Nemean Rage!" Raguel shouted. Hercules jumped into the air, pulled back its right gauntlet, and slammed it downward at Infearno, making him struggle to balance on his duel board due to the impact of the punch.

**Infearno: 3000 – 1350 = 1650 LP**

"This is the end for you, Infearno! Cyreath Sentry attacks you directly! Shield Bash!" Sentry charged forward with its massive shield, however...

"I activate my Skill: Condemned Punishment!" Infearno suddenly said, as his large burnt scar glowed hot red. He soon screamed in pain, as he placed his left hand on the scar and thrust his right hand forward. "By sending 1 'Burning Abyss' monster from my deck to my Graveyard, you take damage equal to its attack points! I'll send Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my deck to the Graveyard to inflict 1500 points of damage to you!"

A grey skinned demon with wings, claws, three spiked horns, and long black hair lunged forward from Infearno's deck and bit Raguel in the neck, making him scream in pain as it sunk its teeth into him. Meanwhile, Sentry bashed Infearno using its massive shield, almost making him lose his balance.

**Infearno: 1650 – 2200 = 0**

**Raguel: 1000 – 1500 = 0**

"You ended the Speed Duel in a tie?" Raguel asked, now wanting to know what Infearno's plans were.

"That's precisely correct," Infearno replied. "A Speed Duel isn't enough to settle our differences. We'll need to unleash our full strength at each other in order to decide a victor between us!" Soon, the Data Storm became even more violent, with both duelists struggling to control their balance on their duel boards.

Unfortunately, the Data Storm was too violent, as Raguel could no longer contain his balance and fell off his duel board. Meanwhile, Infearno let himself fall, laughing at what's to come.

And both duelists fell deep into the bottom of the Data Storm...

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

"Yuhiro? Can you hear me?" Roxy asked, seeing nothing but static on the monitor. "Yuhiro?" Now she started to get worried. "Answer me! YUHIRO!"

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Sentry (LV: 5/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000)_

_Once, while this card is on the field: You can target 1 Link Monster you control; place 'Refraction' counters on that monster equal to its Link Rating. If a Link Monster you control would be targeted by a card effect while this card is on the field, you can remove 1 'Refraction' counter from that monster instead. _

_Cyreath Rebound (Quick-Play Spell Card)_

_Activate only if your opponent declares an attack with a monster they control. Negate the attack, then inflict damage equal to half of that monsters ATK._

_Cyreath Guidance (Continuous Spell Card)_

_Once per turn, when you declare an attack with a 'Cyreath' Link monster you control, you can declare 1 type of card (Monster, Spell, or Trap) from the top of your deck and reveal it. If the revealed card is the declared type, damage inflicted to your opponent this turn is doubled. If not, end your Battle Phase._

_Link Reborn (Normal Spell Card)_

_Target 1 Link monster in your GY; Special Summon it, but it cannot attack for the rest of this turn._

**QOTC**

_With Infearno making his character debut in this chapter, what are you looking forward to most regarding his character and role in the story?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 6: Into the Abyss. Following his Speed Duel against Infearno, Raguel finds himself in an unknown part in the Data Storm. With a new ally, he soon faces off against Infearno in a Master Duel to obtain half of the removal program for Blue Angel. However, near the end of the duel, something abnormal happens to Raguel..._

**Responses to Reviews and Author's Notes**

Thank you to HunterHQ, King, Fullcross, Savagemaster1999, and SSJ Shadow for reviewing Chapter Four of Obscured Truth.

And with that, Chapter 5 is finished! I hope you enjoy this chapter, as I promised in the previous chapter that things will start to heat up. We'll start by talking about the chapter, updates to the contest, and then reviews.

In this chapter, we meet another Knight of Hanoi that I was really looking forward to introducing to you: Infearno. Aside from Revolver, he's the strongest of the Knights of Hanoi (and yes, stronger than even Specter!), so it will be a challenge for Raguel and the good guys to defeat him. He will use the Burning Abyss deck, which focuses on sending Burning Abyss monsters to the Graveyard to activate their unique abilities. His appearance is based on Arkham from Devil May Cry 3, while his personality will be based on Lex Luthor from DC Comics.

I also decided to introduce something really cool: Sentient beings! Yes, the demons in Infearno's deck are sentient, meaning that they can talk, have their own personality, etc. These monsters won't be the only ones that will be sentient, so stay tuned if you're curious about this new development. Inspiration for this idea came from _Digimon_, _The Golden Compass_, and _His Dark Materials _(if you hadn't watched _His Dark Materials_ yet, I personally recommend it. It's off to a great start!).

There was also the Speed Duel between Raguel and Infearno. If it was too short, then I apologize, but I wanted to give you a taste of what Infearno can do during a duel. Rest assured, though. He'll use even more of his power in the next episode.

Moving onto the contest, I wanted to let you know of two updates regarding the rules. One: Two winners will have their OC's in the story. Two: If you don't have a Fanfiction account, but you've reviewed any of the chapters in the story, then you're eligible to enter the contest. **Rules are in Chapter 4, and the winner will be announced by Chapter 7**. **Any entries that are inappropriate will be disqualified and you'll be required to submit a new OC**.

And now, onto the reviews:

HunterHQ: Do not worry. I will make sure that the other characters not only have a chance to shine in the spotlight but will also get their well-deserved character development. While I don't see Yuhiro using a Hydra, I do see him using a Link Monster similar to the Cerberus (look up Twinbellows from Kid Icarus: Uprising if you're curious). Also, once Miyu recovers fully, she'll be living with Yuhiro and Roxy.

Savagemaster1999: Thanks very much for your character submission.

SSJ Shadow: You could say that, in a way, Roxy is like Yuhiro's big sister. And yes, I think Roxy would attack anyone that threatens those she cares about.

Fullcross: Look, I appreciate your opinion. But you have to understand that anything said in my story goes. Also, if you don't like my story, then why are you reading it?

King: Miyu won't use the Marincess deck. I think she'll probably use Aoi's Trickstar deck once she's finally freed from her problems.

Please feel free to post your thoughts on this chapter, as well as any questions you may have. Thanks to your feedback, the story will improve with each chapter. See you next time!


	6. Chapter 6: Into the Abyss

**Chapter 6: Into the Abyss**

_In the bottom of the Data Storm..._

"Uggghh," was all Raguel could say, as he opened his eyes. He then noticed something licking his face, which soon knocked him back to reality.

When Raguel turned his head towards what was getting his attention, he saw a white-furred cub with orange eyes. The cub had a satellite dish around its neck, as well as an old video recorder on its back. It also had a small brace on each of its claws, and a small coil attached to its tail.

"Gee. Thanks for waking me up, little buddy." The cub barked in happiness upon seeing Raguel get up.

"About time you woke up."

Raguel knew that voice. When he looked across from where he was, he found Infearno, who was reading a book. Upon seeing Infearno, the cub growled at him.

"I was going to kill that thing and wake you up myself, but I ultimately didn't see the need for me to summon my demons to do a menial task," Infearno commented, as he closed his book.

"The hell is wrong with you?" Raguel demanded. "You were going to kill an innocent creature just to get my attention?"

"That creature," Infearno said, pointing to the cub, "is a being from the Cyberse World. As a member of the Knights of Hanoi, I must make sure that the Cyberse are completely destroyed!"

"Is that why you were after Playmaker? His Ignis, or whatever the hell you call it, is the key to your goal?" Raguel retorted.

"You could say it's something like that," Infearno replied. "We can talk more about the subject during our duel, if you like. After all, my terms from before still apply to this duel."

"Alright then." Turning to the cub, he asked, "Want to help me kick this guy's ass?" The cub barked in agreement before turning into data and entering Raguel's Duel Disk. Raguel then looked at the card and its abilities.

_Progleo,_ Raguel thought, as he looked at the card. _You're going to be a great asset in this duel._

"Duel!" both Infearno and Raguel declared.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Infearno: 4000 LP**

"I'll go first!" Infearno declared, as he swiped his hand to the right, showing him his cards. "I activate the Field Spell card, Dis, City of the Burning Abyss!" The card showed a dark, ghoulish city in a hellish landscape. Several members of the Malebranche were flying across the city. Soon, hellish walls began to surround Infearno and Raguel, forming into a circle and cutting them off from the rest of the network. "Now all 'Burning Abyss' monsters I control cannot be destroyed by their own card effects, nor can they be targeted by other card effects!" Infearno smiled upon saying that, making Raguel shudder.

"Next I summon Tour Guide from the Underworld!" A red-haired woman wearing a blue-suit and carrying a black purse with a skull-and-crossbones on it appeared.

**Tour Guide from the Underworld ATK: 1000 DEF: 600 LVL: 3**

"Tour Guide's monster effect! When it's Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 3 Fiend monster from my hand or deck with its effects negated! From my deck, I'll summon Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A winged demon with no arms and long white hair soon joined Infearno's field.

**Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 DEF: 1900 LVL: 3**

"'Burning Abyss' monsters would normally destroy themselves if I control a monster that isn't a 'Burning Abyss' monster," Infearno explained, "but thanks to my Field Spell and Tour Guide, my demons are free to roam the field!" Farfa roared at Raguel upon hearing this.

"Appear, the circuit of blood and death!" Infearno declared, as a Link Portal opened in the sky above him. "The summoning conditions are two Level 3 monsters! I'll set Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Tour Guide of the Underworld in the Link Markers!" Farfa went to the bottom-left arrowhead and entered it, while Tour Guide entered the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Arrive from Hell and assert your dominance! Link 2! Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss!" A dark angel emerged from the Link Portal. It had the head of an ox, the head of a lion, the head of an eagle, and the head of a redheaded woman on its chest, as well as wings on its back and crossed over its chest. It wielded a red curving sword in its left hand, which lit on fire. Upon being summoned to the Extra Monster Zone, all four heads screeched really loud at Raguel, making him cover his ears.

**Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss ATK: 500 LINK-2** ↙️↘️

"I'll then activate Pre-Preparation of Rites!" Infearno continued. "This card lets me add a Ritual Spell card from my deck and a Ritual Monster from my deck or Graveyard to my hand whose name is listed on that Ritual Spell!" Using Pre-Preparation of Rites, Infearno added Good and Evil in the Burning Abyss and Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss.

_If he summons Malacoda,_ Raguel thought, _I'll be in huge trouble._

To his surprise though, Infearno didn't. "I Set two cards face-down. And end my turn."

"My turn!" Raguel declared. "I draw!" _Gotta go all out with this guy or else I'll be at the wrong end of the stick,_ Raguel thought. "Since you control a Link Monster, I can Special Summon Cyreath Lava Hound from my hand! However, it can only attack Link Monsters!" An overweight volcanic creature with small wings fluttered to Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Lava Hound ATK: 2200 DEF: 1700 LVL: 6**

"Next I summon Cyreath Witch!" A sorceress with short purple hair, glowing pink eyes and carrying a staff with a skull on it also joined Raguel's field. She wore a raggedy cape and skirt.

**Cyreath Witch ATK: 1200 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

"Cyreath Witch's effect!" Raguel declared. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to my field equal to the number of cards in my hand! Since I have four cards in my hand, I can Special Summon up to three 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens on the field!" Witch raised her staff into the air, making the skull on top of it glow purple. Soon, three small skeletons carrying short swords were raised from the dead, appearing on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel said, as a Link Portal immediately opened up for him. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set two of my Cyreath Skeleton tokens in the Link Markers!" One Skeleton token entered the bottom-left arrowhead, while the other Skeleton token entered the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Machai!" A warrior with two torsos back to back with each other and covered in coal black skin was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone. It had two legs, six arms, and two heads.

**Cyreath Machai ATK: 1600 LINK-2** ↙️↘️

"Appear once again! The circuit showing the highest mountain! The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set my third Cyreath Skeleton token and Cyreath Lava Hound in the Link Markers!" A second Link Portal immediately opened, with the third Skeleton token entering the right arrowhead and Lava Hound entering the left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Pegasus!" A majestic black horse with wings flew onto Raguel's field and was summoned to the right Monster Zone Machai was pointing to.

**Cyreath Pegasus ATK: 1200 LINK-2** ⬅️➡️

"Lava Hound's effect activates!" Raguel continued. "If it leaves the field for any reason, I can Special Summon 2 'Cyreath Lava Pup' tokens to my field!" Immediately, two smaller pups resembling Lava Hound emerged into existence on the field, only both of them were covered in lava.

**Cyreath Lava Pup Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

"Appear, for the third time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel shouted. At that moment, a third Link Portal opened for him. "The summoning conditions are two monsters! I'll set the two 'Cyreath Lava Pup' tokens in the Link Markers!" One Lava Pup token went into the left arrowhead, while the other Lava Pup token went into the top arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Serene Butler!" An elegant, lanky man with pointed white hair and a long mustache to match exited the Link Portal and was summoned to the left Monster Zone Machai was pointing at. He wore a black suit adorned by golden clasps and a golden brooch affixed to the chest area of the suit. He also wore white gloves, pointed shoes, and a monocle on his left eye.

**Cyreath Serene Butler ATK: 1900 LINK-2** ⬅️⬆️

"Impressive," Infearno commented. "So this is your power in a duel like this." He soon raised his arms in the air. "Now this is what I wanted to see the moment we met!"

"I'm not done yet, that's for sure," Raguel said. "I activate Cyreath Pegasus' effect! Monsters that it points to can attack directly! And since it's pointing to Cyreath Witch, guess who's getting the opportunity to attack directly?" Witch jumped onto Pegasus, which started flapping its wings to gain altitude, and immediately started charging up her staff. "Battle! Cyreath Witch attacks you directly, Infearno!" After gaining enough altitude, Witch fired a magical blast at Infearno, causing him to wince.

**Infearno: 4000 – 1200 = 2800 LP**

_I have to be cautious,_ Raguel thought. He knew, from previous experience that if he rushed, it would only lead to ruin. "I'll Set two cards face-down and end my turn," he concluded.

Infearno slowly clapped. "Now this just got interesting. I applaud you Raguel for your demonstration of power," he said. "It's been a very long time since I was challenged. You're a different breed of opponent. Someone who plans ahead and builds upon seemingly meaningless moves in order to obtain the big picture." He smiled. "In a way, you're like me."

"Bullshit!" Raguel said, thrusting his right hand to the side. "You and I are NOTHING ALIKE! I may do things that are questioned by others, but there's no way in hell that I'm willing to take hostages! I'd never hurt an innocent creature either!"

Infearno simply chuckled. "You will see in a bit. My turn!" he said, drawing a card, "I draw! First I activate my face-down Trap card, Tri-and-Guess! If both players have an Extra Deck, I can declare either Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Monster card types, and the player with more monsters of that card type gains 3000 life points!"

"What?!" Raguel said, now shocked at Infearno's card.

"I think I'll choose Xyz!" Infearno declared. After both players looked through their Extra Decks, Infearno said, "I have two Xyz monsters in my Extra Deck. Tell me Raguel, how many Xyz monsters do you have?"

"None," Raguel replied.

"And that means I gain 3000 life points!" Infearno said, laughing as the card bathed him in glorious, yellow light.

**Infearno: 2800 + 3000 = 5800 LP**

"I activate Cherubini's effect! Once per turn, I can send a Level 3 monster from my deck to the Graveyard, and if I do, one 'Burning Abyss' monster I control gains its attack and defense points until the End Phase! I'll send Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my deck to the Graveyard to have Cherubini gain its 1600 attack points!"

**Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss ATK: 500 + 1600 = 2100**

"Cir's effect!" Infearno said. "As it was sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon 1 'Burning Abyss' monster from my Graveyard! Return, Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" The winged demon with no arms and long white hair soon reappeared on Infearno's field.

**Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 DEF: 1900 LVL: 3**

"It's good to be back!" Farfa said. Turning to Infearno, it asked, "Will I have a chance to make this human suffer?"

"Not necessarily," Infearno replied to Farfa. "But you do have a role in helping _me_ defeat him. Next, from my hand, I summon Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A demon with very long fingernails and wings appeared on the field. It had pieces of metallic armor on its knees and wrists, long white hair, and half of a white faceguard with horns pointing downward covering its eyes.

**Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 800 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

"I may not see well," Scarm said, "but I'll know my prey once I get the scent!"

"Shut up, Scarm," Farfa said. "There's no need to brag. If anything, we need to take care of the human that's-!"

"Appear, the network of suffering!" Infearno suddenly said, now growing tired of their bickering. His hand glowed red as a galaxy portal appeared in the sky above the duelists. "Materials confirmed! The summoning conditions are two Level 3 monsters! I overlay the Level 3 Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!"

The two demons immediately turned to Infearno but turned into streams of black and grey energy before either of them could beg him to reconsider. The two streams of energy entered the portal, where a pillar of light soon erupted from its center.

"Xyz Summon! Begin your adventure through the depth of Hell! Rank 3! Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss!" A man with long, dark blue hair in a ponytail was summoned to the left Monster Zone Cherubini was pointing at. He wore red clothing, a laurel on his head, and a small bag on both sides of his body. On the right side of his body was a small, sheathed sword.

**Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 DEF: 2500 RNK: 3**

"Dante's effect!" Infearno continued. "By detaching one Overlay Unit, I can choose a number from one to three, and send that many cards from the top of my deck to the Graveyard. And by doing this," Infearno said, "Dante gains 500 attack points for each card sent from the top of my deck to the Graveyard until the End Phase! I'll send 3 cards so that Dante gains 1500 attack points!" Infearno sent the top three cards of his deck to the Graveyard, while one of the lights behind Dante went into his fist, boosting his power temporarily.

**Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 + 1500 = 2500**

"I activate the effect of Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss! Since it was sent to the Graveyard, I can target 1 monster on the field and negate its effects until the End Phase!" Thinking quickly, Infearno said, "I choose Cyreath Machai!" A red aura surrounded Machai, nullifying its effects.

"I'll also activate the effect of Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss! As it was sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon 1 'Burning Abyss' monster from my deck! Serve me, Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A winged demon with blue skin wings and claws, as well as braided hair, appeared on the field.

**Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1300 DEF: 700 LVL: 3**

Gesturing to his face-down card, Infearno said, "I activate my face-down Trap card, The Traveler and the Burning Abyss! I can target any number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters that were sent to the Graveyard this turn and Special Summon them to my field in Defense Position!" Raguel gasped upon hearing Infearno say that. _This is not good,_ Raguel thought. _Not good at all._

"I target Scarm, Graff, and Cir in my Graveyard and command them to return from Hell to serve me once more!" Infearno wickedly said. At that moment, three fiery portals appeared on Infearno's field, in which three demons emerged from soon after.

The long fingernailed demon with wings, long white hair, and half of a faceguard returned to the field. The second demon to return to the field resembled a muscular bull with grey blue skin and broken blue horns, which snorted upon being summoned.

The third demon to emerge from the portal was a draconic fiend with wings and claws, which licked its lips upon seeing Raguel.

**Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 800 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

**Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 DEF: 1500 LVL: 3**

**Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1600 DEF: 1200 LVL: 3**

"Now THIS is a party!" Graff said. "The boys are back in town!"

"Shame we're in defense position," Libic said. "Otherwise, I'd be tearing this human's throat right now!"

"Oh will the both of you shut up!" Cir said, scolding the other demons. "Infearno summoned us for a reason. And what he says and does GOES!"

"Thank you, Cir," Infearno said, praising the fellow demon. Continuing his turn, he said, "I activate the Ritual Spell card, Good and Evil in the Burning Abyss! This card lets me tribute monsters from my hand or field whose combined levels equal or exceed that of the stated Ritual Monster, and then summon it from my hand." Infearno explained as he smiled. "I'll tribute the Level 3 Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and the Level 3 Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss on my field!" A dark red magic circle with six flames appeared on his field, along with Graff and Cir.

Both demonic creatures disintegrated into light and entered the center of the circle, which emitted a pillar of dark red light.

"The contract's been made!" Infearno chanted, his Duel Disk's screen and black sections glowing dark red. "Demonic leader residing in the eighth circle of Hell! Accept these two sacrifices and serve your master! Ritual Summon! Rise, Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss!" A red-skinned demon in blue armor soon emerged from the portal and onto Infearno's field. It wielded two swords, one blue and one red, and also had a tail resembling a dragon's head.

**Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2700 DEF: 2000 LVL: 6**

"This time, boy," Malacoda said to Raguel, "you'll taste the full fury of hellfire!"

"Do not worry Malacoda. You will get your chance!" Infearno declared. "Battle! Malacoda attacks Cyreath Machai! Abysmal Destruction!"

"I will most certainly enjoy this!" Malacoda said, as it's swords lit on fire. The demon charged at Machai, but...

"Cyreath Serene Butler's effect!" Raguel said. "Once per turn, if you declare an attack with a monster you control, I can flip a coin, and if I call it right, your monster's attack points are halved until the End Phase!" Serene Butler soon grabbed a coin from his pocket and flipped it. "I'll call Heads!" The coin flipped in the air and landed on heads. "All right! Since it landed on heads, Malacoda's attack points are halved until the End Phase!" Serene Butler flicked the coin at Malacoda, hitting it in the eye and making it go half blind as it screamed in pain.

**Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2700/2 = 1350**

"I activate Malacoda's effect!" Infearno said in response. "By sending a 'Burning Abyss' monster from my hand to the Graveyard, your monster loses attack and defense points equal to the sent monsters until the End Phase! I'll send Draghig, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my hand to the Graveyard, which means your Cyreath Machai loses 1100 attack points!" Malacoda fired hellfire from its swords, hitting Machai and causing the warrior to suffer severe pain.

**Cyreath Machai ATK: 1600 – 1100 = 500 **

"Also, since Draghig was sent to the Graveyard, it's effect allows me to choose a 'Burning Abyss' card from my deck and place it on top of my deck!" Using Draghig's effect, Infearno put Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss on the top of his deck.

Malacoda then clashed swords with Machai, pressing the warrior back as it smiled in anticipation of victory. The demon broke the struggle and slashed Machai twice using its blazing swords, making Machai scream in pain. Raguel soon felt the pain Machai was feeling as his life points went down.

**Raguel: 4000 – 850 = 3150 LP**

"I activate my face-down Trap card, Torrential Buster!" Raguel said. The card showed Cyreath Pegasus striking an opponent upwards using its head. "If a 'Cyreath' monster I control is destroyed in battle by a monster you control, it's also destroyed!" Determined not to die in vain, Machai took its six swords and thrusted them at Malacoda. Soon, an explosion caused both monsters to vanish into particles.

"You'll suffer for that!" Infearno said. "Malacoda's additional effect activates! As it was sent from the field to the Graveyard, I can send any card you have to the Graveyard! I'll choose your face-down card!"

"Shit!" Raguel said, as his face-down card was sent to his Graveyard. _Cyreath Rebound would've really helped me out,_ he thought.

"The battle is still far from over!" Infearno declared. "Dante attacks Cyreath Witch!" Dante charged forward, pulled out his sword, and slashed Witch in two, turning her into particles.

**Raguel: 3150 – 1300 = 1850 LP**

"Since Dante attacked, I must change him to Defense Position." Infearno added, as Dante returned to his field. "Cherubini now attacks Cyreath Pegasus! Cursed Stinger!" The dark angel rushed forward and stabbed Pegasus in the neck using its red curving sword, making the creature scream as it was destroyed. Raguel too felt that pain as he was sent flying backward and onto the ground.

**Raguel: 1850 – 900 = 950 LP**

"It has been done, my master," Cherubini said, returning to Infearno's field.

"Excellent work, all of you," Infearno said, praising his monsters. "I Set one card face-down and end my turn here." Infearno smiled confidently, knowing that there was nothing Raguel to do. "And since it's the end of my turn, both Dante and Cherubini's attack points go back to normal."

**Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2500 – 1500 = 1000**

**Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2100 – 1600 = 500**

"You," Raguel said, slowly getting up. Infearno was surprised that Raguel got up. "You're no ordinary duelist, aren't you?"

"That is correct, child," Infearno confirmed. "You could say that, aside from Master Revolver, I am the strongest of the Knights of Hanoi." Raguel gasped upon saying that.

"Just what are you people? And why are you so obsessed with the AI program, or the Ignis, that Playmaker has?" Raguel demanded.

Infearno thought about Raguel's question for a full minute. "Very well," he said. "Perhaps if I educate you on our methods and goals, you could possibly understand." He then pulled out his book, flipped through the pages, and put his finger on the top paragraph of the page.

"The word 'Ignis' actually is the Greek word for 'Fire'," Infearno started explaining. "Like how the Titan Prometheus defied the gods by stealing fire and giving it to humanity, we wanted to give a life-changing gift to mankind by creating unique AI. And we called these AI 'Ignis' to honor the tale of Prometheus, as well as remind ourselves of our goal for mankind."

"While AI are supposed to do what we humans program them to do," Infearno continued, "the Ignis do whatever _they_ want to do because they have _free will_." Raguel's eyes widened upon hearing this.

Infearno, however, continued talking. "However, we soon learned what the Ignis wanted to do. They want to bring an end to the entire human race!"

"I don't believe you!" Raguel said in disbelief. "There's no program that can think for itself."

"But you're wrong," Infearno said, simply rebutting Raguel. "The Ignis can. Creating them was, and still is, the Knights of Hanoi' greatest mistake!" After taking a breath, he continued. "But if something can be built, it can also be destroyed. Under Revolver's leadership, we will destroy the Ignis!"

He then extended out a hand to Raguel. "I've seen your duels, and I've seen how you adapt to different situations no matter who you're facing against. It isn't too late, my boy. Join us, and I can promise you that you will play a role in saving the world!"

"And what about my deck?" Raguel said, thrusting his right hand out to the side. "Do my Cyberse cards have a say? Because no matter what, you'll still plan on destroying the Cyberse with or without my help!"

Raguel then held out three fingers at Infearno. "There are three reasons why I must win this duel Infearno! One," Raguel held up one finger, "I made a promise to help in curing Blue Angel from the virus she's infected with. And I won't abandon that promise! Two," Raguel held up two fingers, "I won't let the Knights of Hanoi harm LINK VRAINS or the people that are in it, no matter the odds! Three," Raguel held up three fingers, "a long time ago, I made a promise to someone dear to me. That I wouldn't give up until I can see her free from the situation she's facing. So that I can see her awake, able to enjoy her life with her aunt once again!"

Infearno was taken aback and was in shock upon hearing this. "Did you say three?" he asked. "No way. Are you one of the ones who survived those dreadful days?"

"I am." Raguel confirmed. "And defeating you will be the first step in ensuring that the Knights of Hanoi NEVER THREATEN LINK VRAINS AGAIN!"

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel declared. "First, I activate the Spell card Cyreath Treasure, which lets me draw 2 cards in exchange of discarding a 'Cyreath' monster from my hand! I'll discard Cyreath Wandering Soul to draw two cards!" After discarding Wandering Soul from his hand, Raguel proceeded to draw two cards from the top of his deck.

"Next, I activate Cyreath Wandering Soul's effect from my Graveyard! By banishing it from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"I'll activate Link Reborn next!" Raguel continued. "This card lets me target 1 Link Monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it back to my field, but it can't attack for the rest of this turn! Help me once again, Cyreath Pegasus!" The majestic black horse with wings flew onto Raguel's field once more, ready for battle.

**Cyreath Pegasus ATK: 1200 LINK-2** ⬅️➡️

"I then activate the Spell card, Cyreath Ascension!" The card showed the spirit of Cyreath Icarus going up to Cyreath Grand Hall. "I can target 1 Link Monster I control and Special Summon 'Cyreath' monsters from my Graveyard to Main Monster Zones that Link Monster points to, in exchange for negating their effects! I target Cyreath Pegasus, and using this card, I'll bring back Cyreath Lava Hound and Cyreath Witch!" The female sorceress and overweight volcanic creature soon returned to the left and right Main Monster zones Pegasus was pointing to.

**Cyreath Lava Hound ATK: 2200 DEF: 1700 LVL: 6**

**Cyreath Witch ATK: 1200 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain! The summoning condition is 1 monster. I'll set the Cyreath Wanderer token in the Link Marker!" A Link Portal soon opened up, with the Wanderer token going into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Hephaestus!" A deformed blacksmith carrying a heated rod and a walking stick emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the Extra Monster Zone. He wore a short brown tunic around his waist.

**Cyreath Hephaestus ATK: 500 LINK-1 **↘️

"I activate Hephaestus' effect!" Raguel said. "Once per turn, if I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can target 1 Spell or Trap card in my Graveyard and add it to my hand!" Raguel added Cyreath Rebound back to his hand from his Graveyard.

He was about to Link Summon Cyreath Hercules when suddenly Progleo emerged from his Duel Disk.

"What's up little buddy?" Raguel asked the cub. "Do you want to join the duel?" Progleo barked in response to him, and then turned around to growl at Infearno. _This little guy really hates Infearno,_ he thought.

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel said. Soon, another Link Portal appeared above him as he said, "The summoning conditions are two monsters except tokens! I'll set Cyreath Hephaestus, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Witch!" Hephaestus went to the right arrowhead while Witch entered the left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Progleo!" A white-furred cub with orange eyes emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the right Main Monster Zone Pegasus was pointing to. The cub had a satellite dish around its neck, as well as an old video recorder on its back. It also had a small brace on each of its claws, and a small coil attached to its tail. Upon being summoned, Progleo barred its fangs at its opponent.

**Progleo ATK: 1000 LINK-2** ⬅️➡️

"Now I summon Cyreath Barbarian!" A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Appear, for the third time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a third Link Portal opened above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters. I'll set Cyreath Serene Butler, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Barbarian in the Link Markers!" Serene Butler split into two as it went into the top-left and top-right arrowheads, while Barbarian went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"Cyreath Barbarian's effect!" Raguel continued. "Since it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster that used this card as a Link Material gains 500 attack points!"

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000**

"Cyreath Hercules' effect! Monsters this card points to loses 500 attack points! Nemean Roar!" Hercules let out a massive roar, which hit Dante as he braced himself for the shockwaves.

**Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 – 500 = 500 **

"Battle!" Raguel said. "First, thanks to Cyreath Pegasus' effect, all monsters it points to get to attack directly." Progleo jumped onto Pegasus, which started flapping its wings to gain altitude. "Progleo attacks you directly Infearno!" After Pegasus gained enough height, Progleo jumped off and lunged at Infearno. Upon impact, the cub was able to push him back with enough force that he was forced to take a step or two back.

**Infearno: 5800 – 1000 = 4800 LP**

"Next, Cyreath Hercules attacks Cherubini! Nemean Strike!" Hercules jumped forward, ready to land a punch on the dark angel, when...

"I activate my Trap card!" Infearno suddenly said. "Suffering in the Burning Abyss!" The card showed Dante in Inferno, witnessing the suffering of several souls that couldn't commit to neither good nor evil. "Until the End Phase of this turn, _all_ monsters you control lose attack points equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters in my Graveyard! There are five 'Burning Abyss' monsters in my Graveyard, which means all your monsters lose 1500 attack points!"

"This can't be!" Raguel said in shock, as he noticed all his monsters scream in pain upon being surrounded by a red aura.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 3000 – 1500 = 1500**

**Cyreath Pegasus ATK: 1200 – 1500 = 0**

**Progleo ATK: 1000 – 1500 = 0**

"But you're still taking battle damage!" Raguel said, as Hercules' massive gauntlet connected with Cherubini's heads, supposedly destroying the dark angel as it was engulfed in a massive explosion. Infearno immediately shielded his eyes from the explosion.

**Infearno: 4800 – 1500 = 3300 LP**

To Raguel's horror, Cherubini was still on the field. "How did your Link Monster survive?" he demanded.

"It's simple," Infearno replied. "If Cherubini would be destroyed by battle or card effect, I can simply send another card I control to the Graveyard instead. By sending Libic to the Graveyard, I was able to protect Cherubini from harm. Also, since Libic was sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon 1 Level 3 DARK Fiend type monster from my hand. Emerge, Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!"

A grey skinned demon with wings, claws, three spiked horns, and long black hair soon joined Infearno's field.

**Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1500 DEF: 300 LVL: 3**

"Tch! Why you," Raguel said. "I'll Set one card. And end my turn, which means my monster's attack points all go back to normal."

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 1500 + 1500 = 3000**

**Cyreath Pegasus ATK: 0 + 1200 = 1200**

**Progleo ATK: 0 + 1000 = 1000**

"My turn!" Infearno said. "I draw!" Looking at the card, he smirked. "I activate the effect of the Tuner monster, Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my hand! Since I control no Spell or Trap cards in my Spell and Trap card zone, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A pink-skinned demon with horns, wings, and a wooden staff appeared on the field.

**Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 100 DEF: 2100 LVL: 3**

"A Tuner monster?" Raguel said. "That means-!"

"Level 3 Rubic tunes Level 3 Scarm!" Infearno declared, as he smiled upon what was about to happen. A bolt of orange lightning struck him as the world greyed out and his two monsters disintegrated into particles. Two rings, one white and the other purple, appeared before turning blue and merging. Six blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to "6" as light surged through the rings.

"The poet's guide through Hell and Purgatory!" Infearno chanted. "Return to the earth once more and guide the traveler in his quest! Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 6! Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss!" A man in a white tunic, brown vest, and large hat emerged from the light. He carried a large golden guitar with blue flames spouting from the ends in his hands. As Virgil was summoned to the Right Monster Zone Cherubini was pointing at, he strung a few chords on his guitar.

**Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 6**

"I activate Virgil's effect! By discarding a 'Burning Abyss' card, one card on your field or in your Graveyard is shuffled back into your deck! I'll discard Fire Lake in the Burning Abyss to return your face-down card Cyreath Rebound back to your deck!" Virgil strummed several chords and blasted the face-down card Cyreath Rebound with blue fire, disintegrating it. Raguel could do nothing but grit his teeth upon seeing what happened.

"Next, I activate the additional effect of Dis, City of the Burning Abyss! Once, if I control a 'Burning Abyss' monster while this card is on the field," Infearno explained, "I'm allowed to add up to two 'Burning Abyss' cards with different names from my deck to my hand!" Using the effect of Dis, City of the Burning Abyss, he added The Terminus of the Burning Abyss and Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his hand.

"I summon Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A demonic centaur with wings soon joined Infearno's field.

**Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1400 DEF: 0 LVL: 3**

"I activate the Spell card, The Terminus of the Burning Abyss!" Infearno said. "This card lets me Fusion Summon 1 'Burning Abyss' monster from my Extra Deck by using monsters from my hand or field as Fusion Materials!"

"What?!" Raguel said, now in shock. "This can't be!"

"Oh, but it is, boy!" Infearno replied. "I fuse Dante, Cagna, and Calcab to perform a Fusion Summon!" The three monsters disintegrated into red, blue, and green particles and swirled into a vortex. Three tornadoes of energy shot upwards and merged to form a white and yellow whirlwind.

"Through Hell and Purgatory, at last, enlightenment is reached!" Infearno chanted. "Embrace the power of Paradise and leave your enemies in eternal damnation! Fusion Summon! Appear, Level 9! Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss!" The blue-haired man returned to the field from the whirlwind, only this time, he wore elaborate gold, white, and purple robes. He wielded an elaborate wooden staff topped with golden wings. The man smiled as he was summoned to the left Monster Zone Cherubini was pointing to in Attack Position.

**Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2800 DEF: 2500 LVL: 9**

"You're forgetting Hercules' effect!" Raguel said. "Any monster that Hercules points to loses 500 attack points! Nemean Roar!" Hercules let out a massive roar once again, which hit Dante as he braced himself for the shockwaves.

**Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2800 – 500 = 2300**

"A minor setback," Infearno smugly replied. "Which I can easily fix thanks to Cherubini's effect! Once per turn, I can send a Level 3 monster from my deck to the Graveyard, and if I do, one 'Burning Abyss' monster I control gains its attack and defense points until the End Phase! I'll send Fiendish Rhino Warrior from my deck to the Graveyard to have Dante gain its 1400 attack points!"

**Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2300 + 1400 = 3700**

"Battle! Dante attacks Cyreath Hercules! Eternal Light!" Dante's staff shined with golden light before he fired a massive beam from hit. Hercules tried to block the beam using its gauntlets, but in the end, the beam hit Hercules, causing him to glow momentarily before being destroyed. Upon Hercules' destruction, an explosion occurred right after that sent Raguel flying back towards a wall, which he hit before falling to the ground unconscious. Progleo ran to Raguel's side after seeing him fall to the ground.

**Raguel: 950 – 700 = 250 LP**

"I end my turn, which means Cherubini's effect ends and Dante's attack points return to his original amount as Cyreath Hercules was destroyed." Infearno concluded.

**Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss ATK: (3700 – 1400) + 500 = 2800**

"What?" Cherubini said, turning to Infearno in confusion. "Why end your turn? One more attack and you would have won the duel!"

"Because of one thing," Infearno replied. "Look at what's in front of you." When Cherubini turned around to see what was in front of her, all she could see was Progleo trying to wake up Raguel.

"I destroyed his ace monster," Infearno said. "And the impact from Dante's attack knocked him unconscious. If he doesn't get up in five minutes, I'll win the duel by default. In a way, through this method, I'll have defeated Raguel both physically and mentally." Infearno smiled to himself upon concluding.

"And besides," Infearno continued, "even if Raguel gets up, there's practically nothing he can do."

_Unknown location..._

When Raguel woke up, all he could see was darkness. Pure darkness. He knew that he went unconscious, or else he wouldn't be here right now. Somehow, he was able to stand up.

"Where am I," he said. "Is this Heaven? Or Hell? Purgatory?"

"Neither of them."

Raguel turned around, startled at hearing a voice. The fact that there was clearly another voice besides him shocked him.

"Who's there?" Raguel asked. "Show yourself!" He would have grabbed his sword using his left hand, but it wasn't there. Nor was his gun.

Soon, a figure with a featureless body and face glowing with brown, murky energy appeared.

"Tell me," the figure asked Raguel, "if you were given a second chance, what is the one thing that you would seek?"

Raguel thought for a bit, actually struck by the figure's question. _What is it that I would seek_, he thought. All his life, he didn't know what he wanted. He had very little memories of his past before the Incident, and once it occurred, he didn't know what he wanted anymore.

Then Roxy entered into his life. She adopted him from the Den City Shelter, put up with him, and helped him.

And then the day came when he met Miyu in the Den City Hospital. Roxy's niece. When he learned that she went through the same Incident he did, he realized what he wanted to do. He wanted to fight and make sure Miyu would wake up and smile again. So that she could enjoy life with Roxy. And in turn, make them both happy.

He turned to the figure. "I would seek anything to protect her. To make her safe, and happy again."

The figure was perplexed at Raguel's answer. "Impressive. Never have I encountered someone who would be willing to lay down their own life for another." He then touched the pendent around Raguel's neck. In doing so, the pendent started to glow hot-red.

"What's going on?" Raguel demanded, now feeling energy overflowing in his body.

"You will know very soon," the figure replied. "I look forward to our first meeting."

_Back to the duel..._

"Just one more minute," Infearno muttered. "Then the duel will be over."

BOOM!

A pillar of light out of nowhere soon hit Raguel's body, causing Infearno and his monsters to shield their eyes. Even Progleo had to back away out of fear.

When Infearno lowered his arms to look at what was going on, he was shocked. Raguel was somehow standing up!

Yet there was something very different about him. His grey eyes now glowed burning red, and he also had a hazy, white aura pulsating throughout his body. What struck Infearno the most was the translucent shadow of an angel floating behind him.

"How?" Infearno said, still trying to grasp what was going on. "How are you still up after all the damage you took?"

"From the depths of the abyss," Raguel said in a deeper, echoing voice, "a voice echoed, 'Power! Give me more power! Anything to protect her. Anything to make her safe, and happy again!'"

"What?" Infearno said, now clearly confused as to what Raguel was talking about.

Raguel soon heard whimpering. He turned to the right, where he saw Progleo scared at seeing him.

"It's all right, little buddy," Raguel said, kneeling down and petting him. "I'm back. Let's end this guy, shall we?" Progleo barked once more in agreement before returning to the field.

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said as he drew a card from the top of his deck. Looking upward and raising his right hand in the air, he continued, "On the authority of a higher power, I call upon you Data Storm to break the seal!" Soon, several tendrils of energy exited from the Data Storm.

"WHAT?! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" Infearno replied, as the tendrils entered Raguel's pendent and imbued it with energy.

Soon, the pendent glowed and released a shining card. After he held the card in the palm of his hand, it then immediately went into his Duel Disk.

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel fired a burst of angelic energy from his hand, which created a Link Portal. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I'll set Cyreath Pegasus and Progleo, which are both Link 2 monsters in the Link Markers!" Pegasus split into two whirlwinds of energy and entered the left and right arrowheads, while Progleo also split into two whirlwinds of energy and entered the top and bottom arrowheads.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The Embodiment of Truth is given to mankind! Link 4! Turboblaze Dragon!" A white-colored bipedal dragon with blue irises and black pupils, as well as a long and slender neck emerged from the Link Portal. It had a long, voluminous wispy mane streaming out from the upper side of its snout and outwards from his head, with two protrusions resembling ears on the top of the mane. Its arms were slender and arm-like with a wing-like appearance and four fingers on its claws. It had a feathered chest, with long feather-like protrusions jutting out of its thighs. On its feet were large grey claws, three at the front and one positioned at the back to resemble high heels. It also had a jet engine-like tail, with two large bands similar to the front and ribbon like extensions.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 LINK-4** ⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️

"A Link 4 Monster," Infearno said in horror, upon seeing the dragon. "How in the world did you get it? Only those with Storm Access can-."

"Screw Storm Access," Raguel replied. "I activate Turboblaze Dragon's first effect! When it's Link Summoned, the effects of all monsters you control are negated! Heat Veil!" The jet engine-like tail soon charged up before Turboblaze roared and unleashed waves of volcanic energy at Infearno's monsters. Once they made contact, all of his monsters had scorch marks and burn wounds.

"You'll regret doing this!" Infearno snarled.

"I activate the Spell card, Link Missile from my hand!" Raguel said. The card showed Link Bumper being turned into pure energy as it was fired from a cannon towards an advancing army. "By banishing 1 Link Monster from my Graveyard, you take damage equal to half of that Link Monsters attack points! I banish Cyreath Hercules to inflict 1250 points of damage! I hope you like retribution, cause some of it's coming your way!" Hercules emerged from the Graveyard temporarily and smashed Infearno in the gut, pushing him back to the point where his back almost touched the wall behind him.

**Infearno: 3300 – 1250 = 2050 LP**

"This is the end for you," Raguel said. "Battle! Turboblaze Dragon attacks Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss! Desolation Flare! The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze flew up into the air and charged up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at Dante, who tried to resist the impact with his staff. However, it soon started to break, which made it clear who was going to win this battle.

"Turboblaze's additional effect! If this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you take damage equal to the destroyed monsters attack points!"

"This cannot be!" Infearno said, now realizing that he was going to lose. He reached out to Dante, who turned around with a sorrowful expression on his face as he was consumed by the orb of fire. The massive explosion pushed Infearno back all the way to the wall, to the point where his back hit it upon impact and he fell to the ground.

**Infearno: 2050 – 200 – 2600 = 0**

As Infearno struggled to get up, it became evident that there was several scorch marks and burn wounds on his entire body. Since the duel was over, Dis, The City of the Burning Abyss, vanished into particles.

Once Infearno got up, Raguel pulled out his double-barreled gun and shot him three times: once in the left leg, once in the right arm, and once through the neck, causing him to scream in pain. The next thing he knew, Raguel jumped forward to where Infearno was, pulled out his sword, and stabbed him through the stomach.

"How do you like the pain _now_ Infearno?" Raguel said, as he pushed the blade deeper into Infearno's stomach.

"You," Infearno said, "You're... not... ordinary... are... you?"

"Give me the half of the removal program you have for Blue Angel or you'll experience pain worse than what you're going through now!" Raguel demanded, pulling the sword out of Infearno's chest, making him cough out blood.

"I'm a man of my word," Infearno said, as he pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk. Upon doing so, a digital card popped out of it, in which he gave to Raguel with his uninjured arm. Soon, hellfire surrounded Infearno, forcing Raguel to jump backwards and somersault to the ground.

"You may have been victorious today Raguel," Infearno said, holding his neck as the hellfire healed his wounds, "but as long as you continue to get involved with the Hanoi, I can promise you that our battle is far from over! This I swear!" The hellfire then turned Infearno into particles as he logged out.

The white aura surrounding Raguel soon began to disappear, as well as the burning glow in his eyes. Raguel had to blink a few times to make sure he had his bearings.

Looking at the digital card, he muttered, "I won," in his own voice. He then heard a roar. When he turned around, it was Turboblaze Dragon, who somehow is existing outside of the duel alongside Progleo!

"How are you two able to exist outside of a duel?" Raguel muttered, as he jumped to the platform the two of them were on. But then he realized why he was even here in the first place: to help save Blue Angel!

"Can you take me to where Blue Angel and the others are?" Raguel asked Turboblaze, who responded with a snort and motioning him to climb on his back.

"Thank you so much," he said, as he climbed onto Turboblaze's back with Progleo. Soon, Turboblaze took off, with Raguel narrowly holding on. _I can definitely get used to this_, he thought, as he flew on Turboblaze's back. _Hang on Blue Angel. We're almost there_.

_A few minutes later, at the church..._

When Raguel arrived at the church, there was Playmaker, who was waiting with Ghost Girl and Akira.

"Look!" Ghost Girl said, causing Akira and Playmaker to turn their heads at what looked like a white-bipedal dragon. And Raguel.

"Sorry I'm late," Raguel said, as Turboblaze landed on the ground. Turning to Playmaker, he said, "I got half of the removal program from Infearno. Did you get the other half from Revolver?" Playmaker nodded in response to his question. "Then let's get to work."

The two teens held out their right hands above Blue Angel's comatose body as green light went down to her body. By the time it was finished, a small smile fell on Blue Angel's face as she turned into blue particles and logged out.

"Where did she go?" Akira asked, now wondering what happened.

"It's okay," Ghost Girl said, "she just logged out. Why don't you join her? Go on, she'll be waiting."

Akira smiled in response to this. "You're right." He turned to Playmaker. "Playmaker, I-." He soon realized that Playmaker turned around and walked away before logging out.

Raguel too turned around and was about to log out when Akira stopped him. "Raguel," he began, "I know what you said earlier, but I don't blame you for what happened to Aoi." Raguel turned to face Akira, who was smiling. "Thank you. I guess I also misjudged you as well. You're a good person with a good heart."

Raguel couldn't help but smile. "Thank you Zaizen," he replied. "Regarding why I'm doing this in the first place, it means a lot." He raised his left hand in the air, in which Turboblaze and Progleo turned into particles and returned to his Duel Disk. Once that was done, he logged out.

"I'll be going now. Thank you for your help," Akira said, looking at Ghost Girl before logging out.

Ghost Girl looked at the sky, thinking about the recent events. "Raguel," she muttered, "you haven't changed a bit."

_At the Hanoi Stronghold..._

Revolver was contemplating what happened during his duel with Playmaker, and more importantly, what he said to him. _Three reasons,_ he thought. He turned to where his right arm should have been, which was missing due to Playmaker's Ignis, or Ai as he called it. _That speech pattern._ A_re you..._

His thoughts, however, were interrupted when an old man with a grey beard and black and grey hair materialized. The man wore a lab coat with red outlines, a dark undershirt with a red stripe, black pants, and brown shoes.

"So you lost, Revolver?" the old man said, causing Revolver to turn to him. "I think I know why. You became distracted when he spoke of ten years ago."

Revolver bowed his head low in response. "Forgive me father." His arm reformed itself as he clenched his fist. "Next time, I will not fail you!"

The old man sighed as he closed his yellow eyes. "I know, and besides, your duel wasn't a total waste because you collected valuable data that will aid in your next duel." He opened his eyes again. "But you must win that next duel because unless we acquire that Ignis, all will be for naught. Do you hear me Revolver?"

"Yes, father," Revolver said, bowing once more as the old man dematerialized.

"Forgive me, Revolver, but I lost my duel against Raguel," Infearno said as he materialized into the Hanoi Stronghold.

"But you managed to avoid capture," Revolver said, turning away from Infearno. "That's good. How did your duel go?"

"I was close to defeating him, but it was just as you and Dancho said. He's getting stronger with every duel he wins." Revolver gritted his teeth at that. It was bad enough having Playmaker as an enemy. If Raguel were to join forces with Playmaker, it would be harder for them to accomplish their goal and destroy the Cyberse.

"Revolver, during the duel, two other things happened that caught my attention to. And I believe they'll get your attention too." Revolver turned to Infearno, now curious at what he has to say.

"What?"

"During the duel, Raguel spoke of three reasons why he was duelling me." Revolver gasped. "And another thing. On Raguel's last turn, he was able to command the Data Storm, as though he had the authority to do so."

"No one but Playmaker and I can access the Data Storm," Revolver said, gritting his teeth as he turned away from Infearno. "What I want to know is: HOW DID HE DO THIS?"

"I don't know," Infearno admitted. "But during his last turn, Raguel acted like a different person. Perhaps you should see the duel for yourself. After all, I recorded it in case we might need it." A digital card materialized from Infearno's Duel Disk, in which he grabbed and threw to Revolver, who caught it.

"Thank you Infearno," Revolver said. "Please leave me. I need to think about what you told me." Infearno dematerialized immediately after hearing Revolver's request.

"Raguel as well," he muttered. "If Raguel was involved in the same Incident Playmaker was ten years ago..." He smiled. Now this got more interesting.

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

Yuhiro let out a breath of exhaustion as the door to the sealed room opened. He walked out of the sealed room very slowly, knowing that one misstep would result in him falling over.

"Roxy," he said as he entered the backroom, "I'm... barely alive."

When Roxy turned to her left upon hearing Yuhiro's voice, she covered her hands with her mouth, shocked that he was alive.

"I'm sorry that I- OOF!" That last part was the result of Roxy getting off her chair and pulling Yuhiro in for a tight embrace. While he didn't mind her hugs, they were sometimes too tight.

"Do you know how... long I lost connection with you?" Roxy asked, pulling away from the embrace before pinching Yuhiro's cheek. "For an hour! And I thought I lost you in that Data Storm forever!"

"But I survived! And I'm sorry I made you worry!" Yuhiro replied. Roxy then released her vice-grip on Yuhiro's cheek, and in doing so, she almost caused him to fall forward.

"Whoa. Easy there," she said, catching Yuhiro. "You look like you been through hell and back. Were you able to save Blue Angel?"

As the two of them started walking to the second floor, Yuhiro said, "I was able to save her. However, those duels with Infearno, they were nothing like-."

Suddenly, a light started blipping on Yuhiro's Duel Disk. When Yuhiro looked at it, Progleo _jumped_ out of it and tacked him to the ground, licking his face in the process. Roxy didn't know whether to laugh at his misery or be in shock at what was going on.

"Progleo? How are you out of the Duel Disk?" he said as his face was getting licked by the cub.

"I'm so happy that you're safe and sound, Yuhiro!" Progleo said. Both Yuhiro and Roxy's jaws fell to the floor.

"YOU CAN TALK?" both Yuhiro and Roxy said.

"Of course," Progleo said, getting off Yuhiro's body, "it's in my programming." Yuhiro stood up, although a bit slowly, unsure of whether or not more of his Duel Monsters would tackle him to the ground or not.

Looking at Progleo, Yuhiro said, "Okay. Since you're one of the Cyberse, that means you used to reside within... the Cyberse World was it?"

"That's correct," Progleo said, now racing around Yuhiro's legs. "And I'll tell you what I know. In exchange for snacks."

When Yuhiro looked at Roxy, she sighed. "Might as well start up the grill. This is going to be a long night."

_A few minutes later, in Café Matsuo..._

"So," Yuhiro began, "you used to live in the Cyberse World, correct?" He and Roxy, along with Progleo, were sitting in one of Café Matsuo's tables. Progleo was eating one of Roxy's Mini Cheeseburgers, which he actually enjoyed.

"I used to," Progleo said, as he munched down his third Mini Cheeseburger, "but when the bad people came, we lost everything."

"The bad people? Do you mean the Hanoi?" Roxy asked. Upon hearing the word 'Hanoi', Progleo's ears went down as it stopped eating. It was evident that the cub was very sad.

"Yes," he replied. "The Cyberse were very peaceful. We got along with everyone. It was harmony."

"And then the Hanoi came to destroy the Cyberse World," Yuhiro concluded.

All the cub could do in response was nod. "I saw many of my friends die in the attack. I don't know why I survived, but I keep thinking that it should have been me who died as well."

"Don't say that," Roxy said, reaching forward and holding both sides of the cub's face. "You must have survived for a reason. We're also fighting against the Hanoi as well."

"For good reasons too," Yuhiro added. "Progleo, if it wasn't for you, I would have lost against Infearno, the Knight of Hanoi you hated so much." A thought suddenly occurred in his mind. "Was Infearno there that day when the Hanoi attacked?"

Progleo thought for a minute before responding. "You know, now that I think about it, he was. I can recognize that massive scar anywhere."

"Little buddy," Roxy said, "do you remember anything else from that day?"

"I think I remember two more things," Progleo said, "I remember a mysterious figure saving my life alongside a few others. As for the other-."

That was all Progleo could say, as soon, Roxy's phone started vibrating. When she looked at it, her eyes widened.

"Yuhiro! Grab the cub and meet me at the backroom!" she said, running to a full sprint towards the backroom. Yuhiro, meanwhile, grabbed Progleo and fast-walked, as he hadn't fully recovered his strength.

When the two, now three of them went inside the backroom, Roxy turned on the monitor and answered it to see who's calling. However, there was no visual, only audio.

"Congratulations on winning your duel, Raguel," the person on the other end said.

"It's you!" Progleo said, as he wagged his tail in happiness.

"You know this guy?" Yuhiro asked. Turning to the monitor, he said, "Who are you?"

"My name is of no importance right now," the person replied. "But if you like, you may call me Watchman."

"Watchman..." both Roxy and Yuhiro muttered.

"I've been keeping an eye on you for a long time, Raguel," Watchman replied. "And if you're wondering who I am, you need to fear not. For I am your ally."

"Progleo may trust you, but I'm not the guy who just blindly works with others!" Yuhiro replied. "The last time I worked with someone, it didn't go so well."

"I'm aware of that," Watchman replied. "Which is why I would like to offer a proposition. I would like to arrange a meeting with you at some point tomorrow."

Yuhiro and Roxy gasped at what Watchman said. This guy was offering to meet them, even though they have no idea who he is?

"It would be wise for you to accept my proposition," Watchman added.

"What should we do?" Roxy whispered to Yuhiro. "We could accept this deal, but-."

"We know nothing about him," Yuhiro whispered back. "The last time we worked with someone, it didn't go well for either of us, remember?" Roxy couldn't help but nod in agreement. Damn that woman...

"But you can trust me," Progleo suddenly said, getting Yuhiro and Roxy's attention. "Watchman saved my life, alongside many other Cyberse creatures. I owe my life to him."

"He saved you?" Yuhiro said, now putting two and two together. The cub nodded in response. Turning to Roxy, he said, "While we don't know much about him, meeting this guy would be a good idea. For if he really is our ally, we have to find out ourselves."

"All right, Yuhiro. I trust you," Roxy responded.

Yuhiro turned to the monitor and said, "Watchman. I accept your proposition. When would you like to meet?"

"The details will be sent tomorrow," Watchman replied. "Until then, I look forward to our first meeting." And the call ended soon after that.

"Well, that was eventful," Roxy said crossing her arms. "At least we know what we're doing tomorrow, that's for sure."

"Can't believe I'm saying this," Yuhiro said, "but I'm exhausted." A yawn soon came out of Yuhiro's mouth.

"Don't do that!" Roxy said, "You'll... make me... tired too." She yawned as well.

The two of them soon decided that it would be a good idea to rest, and then talk about what happened in the Data Storm tomorrow.

After Yuhiro said goodnight to Roxy, he and Progleo went to his room.

"I'm so looking forward to tomorrow," Progleo said, running around Yuhiro's room.

"It's going to be interesting, that's for sure," Yuhiro replied. Turning to the cub, Yuhiro said, "Perhaps you should get some rest. Surely you must be as tired as I am."

"A bit," Progleo admitted. "Have a good night." The cub turned into particles before returning into Yuhiro's Duel Disk.

_What a day_, Yuhiro thought, as he put on his pajamas and climbed into bed. _Two duels back to back. And near the end of the Master Duel, I felt different. As though something awoke within me_. Whatever it was, Yuhiro would have to deal with tomorrow, as his eyes soon closed, indicating that he fell into deep sleep.

Unbeknownst to him, a white light started flashing out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk...

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Lava Hound __(LV: 6/Cyberse/Fire/ATK: 2200/DEF: 1700)_

_If your opponent controls a Link monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand, but it can only attack Link monsters. When this card leaves the field: You can Special Summon 2 'Cyreath Lava Pup' tokens to your side of the field (LV: 3/Cyberse/Fire/ATK: 800/DEF: 800)._

_Cyreath Witch __(LV: 4/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1200/DEF: 0)_

_When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to your side of the field equal to the number of cards in your hand (max. 4) (LV: 1/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 500/DEF: 500). If this card would be destroyed by an opponent's card effect: You can tribute 1 'Skeleton' token instead._

_Cyreath Machai (LR: 2/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1600/↙️↘️)_

_2 'Cyreath' monsters. This card can attack an additional time for each monster it points to. If this card is used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster cannot be destroyed by battle._

_Cyreath Pegasus (LR: 2/Cyberse/Wind/ATK: 1200/__⬅️➡️__)_

_2 'Cyreath' monsters. Monsters this card points to can attack your opponent directly._

_Cyreath Serene Butler (LR: 2/Cyberse/Light/ATK: 1900/__⬅️⬆️__)_

_2 monsters. Once per turn, if your opponent declares an attack with a monster they control: You can flip a coin, and if you call it right, that monster's ATK is halved until the End Phase. _

_Turboblaze Dragon (LR: 4/Cyberse/Fire/ATK: 3000/__⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️__)_

_2 or more Effect Monsters. When this card is Link Summoned: Negate the effects of all monsters your opponent controls. Once per turn, during either player's turn, when a Spell or Trap card is activated that targets a card on the field: You can discard 1 card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the GY, your opponent takes damage equal to the destroyed monsters ATK._

_Cyreath Ascension (Normal Spell Card)_

_Target 1 'Cyreath' Link monster on your field; Special Summon 'Cyreath' monsters from your GY to Main Monster zones the targeted monster points to. The monsters Special Summoned by this effect have their effects negated, and are destroyed at the End Phase._

_Link Missile (Normal Spell Card)_

_When this card is activated: You can banish 1 Link Monster from your GY, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to half of the banished monsters ATK. _

_Dis, City of the Burning Abyss (Field Spell Card)_

'_Burning Abyss' monsters you control cannot be destroyed by their own card effects; also, they cannot be targeted by card effects. Once, if you control a 'Burning Abyss' monster while this card is on the field: You can add up to 2 'Burning Abyss' cards with different names from your deck to your hand._

_Suffering in the Burning Abyss (Normal Trap card)_

_Until the End Phase of this turn, monsters your opponent controls lose ATK equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters in your GY x 300._

**QOTC**

_Who do you think the Watchman is?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on_ _Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 7: Mysterious New Acquaintances. Having survived against Infearno, Yuhiro attempts to figure out what the Hanoi are planning regarding the Ignis. However, his thoughts are put on hold upon receiving a surprise from Watchman, who wishes to talk to him in LINK VRAINS..._

**Responses to Reviews and Authors Notes**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Lightning, Fullcross, King, and Guest for reviewing Chapter 5 of Obscured Truth.

Whew, what a chapter! The reason why I took a bit longer was to make sure it matched the intensity of the duel I promised all of you! And I'm happy with what turned out as well! As before, we'll talk about what happened in this chapter, one final update to the contest, and then reviews.

In this chapter, there was the Master Duel between Raguel and Infearno. While the Speed Duel between them showed a glimpse at Infearno's power, Infearno had to use a good majority of his strength during his duel. And if you think this is him at full power, you haven't seen anything yet, as he'll get a lot stronger as Season 1 goes.

Speaking of power, there was also Raguel undergoing some form of awakening by the end of the duel as well, for he was able to summon his LINK-4 monster: Turboblaze Dragon! For those who were thinking why he doesn't have a Hydragon as his LINK-4 monster, there's already a duelist who uses a lot of Hydra monsters. I also chose Turboblaze because of his significance to the story as well.

Progleo was introduced into the Chapter as well. His role in the story will be similar to a daemon's bond with a human from _The Golden Compass_ and _His Dark Materials_, and it will be interesting to see how he and Raguel mature as the story goes on.

Lastly, there's the mysterious introduction of the Watchman, who claims to have been keeping an eye on Raguel for a long time. He'll be officially introduced next Chapter, so stay tuned.

Secondly, I wanted to provide a brief reminder regarding the contest. Next Chapter, the winners will be announced, which means if you have any character submissions you want to submit, **look at Chapters 4 and 5 for information**.

And now, onto the reviews:

HunterHQ: The Ignis' Duel Monsters are alive and with real souls rather than simply being programs. After all, if Infearno's demons can be sentient beings, they can be too. As for your question, the goal was to not only introduce Infearno, but to establish that he'll be Raguel's main rival.

Lightning: For Season 1, yes, Infearno will be Raguel's main rival.

Fullcross: I appreciate you telling me that this story has potential. If you stick with the story, I can promise you that you'll ultimately enjoy it in the end, as I have plans to expand following Season 3.

King: Thank you very much for telling me this. I hope you enjoy this one as well.

Guest: The goal of Infearno activating his Skill: Condemned Punishment was to take Raguel down with him. In other words, both Raguel's direct attack and Infearno's Skill happened at the same time. Otherwise, the Master Duel wouldn't have happened.

Please let me know your thoughts on this Chapter, as well as any questions you may have. Feedback from you will help improve this story bit by bit. See you next time, as things are starting to get interesting.


	7. Chapter 7: Mysterious New Acquaintances

**Update: **As per the suggestion of And then the sky, I changed the effect of Dis, City of the Burning Abyss so that it wasn't overpowered. The chant for Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss was also changed as well in Chapters 5 and 6. Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Chapter 7: Mysterious New Acquaintances**

_At Café Nagi..._

Yusaku walked over to Kusanagi, who just yawned as he finished completing and serving a hotdog meal for a customer.

"Tired?" Yusaku asked.

"Totally," Kusanagi replied. "Didn't get much sleep last night." He then noticed that Yusaku didn't have his Duel Disk with him. "Where's Ai?" he asked.

"I left him at home," Yusaku answered him, as he walked into the back of Café Nagi. "I need to think about what Revolver said regarding AI with free will."

"Fair enough." Kusanagi closed the window and turned on the monitors in the back of the food truck, where the duo performed their operations against the Hanoi. "What you thinking right now buddy?"

"What we saw from Ai's Data," Yusaku responded, taking the seat beside Kusanagi. "If what we saw are Ai's memories, then Revolver destroyed Ai's world. The fact that Revolver was there that day brings more questions. But more importantly, three important ones. One: What exactly is Ai? Revolver called him an 'Ignis', an AI that wanted to destroy humanity, but there has to be more than that. Two: The Data Storms that appear during Speed Duels. Ever since we got Ai, more and more Data Storms have appeared. I need to know what the significance is behind these Data Storms, and how Ai is related to them. Three: The Knights of Hanoi. They claim their goal is to destroy the Ignis in order to save the human race, but like Ai, I don't think that's all there is to it."

"I guess these things are worth investigating, right?" Kusanagi asked, as the duo started getting to work. Lately, footage of Playmaker has been uploaded on the web, by a pair known as 'Frog and Pigeon'. The fact that these idiots are broadcasting Playmaker's activities live on the web could result in their work becoming harder. So they've been deleting any footage of Playmaker on the web in the hopes that they can continue their activities in secret. "We have to. For you... and for Jin." Kusanagi became despondent upon saying that.

_Not just Jin and I_, Yusaku thought, narrowing his eyes. _I'm certain Furutani from class was involved in the Incident as well._

Yusaku snapped out of his thoughts once he realized that Kusanagi was upset. Turning to him, he said, "Kusanagi, we _will_ get to the bottom of this. Once the Hanoi are defeated, not only will your brother finally have peace, but we can learn what happened all those years ago."

"Thanks. Guess that's what I needed at the moment," Kusanagi replied, turning to face Yusaku. Changing the subject, he asked, "You encountered Raguel yesterday, didn't you?"

"I did," Yusaku said, remembering what happened in LINK VRAINS. "Were you able to find anything on Raguel?" When Raguel dueled against Go and Blue Angel, Yusaku was quite curious about him. The fact that there was someone else who wielded Cyberse monsters surprised him, and it definitely supported this theory that Raguel Yuhiro Furutani.

Then he'd seen Raguel attempt to challenge Revolver to a duel. Yusaku knew that, were it not for Infearno's interference with his demons, Raguel would have succeeded. If Raguel truly was Yuhiro Furutani, then Yusaku might consider approaching him to say thanks.

Kusanagi shook his head. "Unfortunately, no," he admitted. "He pulls the same tricks you do to stay in the shadows. One: He deletes his activity logs and footage online at a fast pace. Two: While I don't know for certain, I do know that he has a partner, or an ally he's working with. Three: Once he completes his task, he just logs out immediately."

"What about rumors? Or stories?" Yusaku asked, now wanting to learn more about Raguel. "Any of those about him?"

Kusanagi thought for a full minute before responding. "Well, now that you mention it, I do know a few stories. Some call Raguel an angel-like version of _Robin Hood_, who obtains equipment from enemies he's defeated and gives it to the poor. Others call him the king of LINK VRAINS' underworld as well."

Yusaku frowned and crossed his arms. "If someone like that has access to the underbelly of LINK VRAINS..."

"Then we'll definitely be screwed," Kusanagi finished for him. "Yusaku, something else is bothering you. What's up?"

"Well... I think I might know who Raguel is," Yusaku said.

This surprised Kusanagi. "Wait. So you're saying you know who Raguel is?"

"I'm about 60% sure," Yusaku said. "When I joined Duel Club, I joined alongside a student named Yuhiro Furutani. During the session, I noticed three things." Yusaku held up a finger. "One: He and I have the same Duel Disk. While everyone else has the current model, the both of us have an older variation of the model. Two," he held up another finger, "When the person lecturing asked Furutani a question, he provided three differences between Master and Speed Duels, thus showing me that he groups things into three. Three," he held up a third finger, "I took a peek at the deck Furutani brought, and for some reason, I could tell there was a Cyberse monster or two in the deck. This is why I believe Raguel Yuhiro Furutani."

"Interesting." Kusanagi thought about what Yusaku said for a few moments before responding. "If Furutani is related to the Incident, perhaps he can help us. After all, if you tell him the truth, he could consider joining forces with us."

"No." Yusaku said, immediately making a decision. "The fight against the Hanoi is too dangerous. I promised myself that I wouldn't get anyone else involved, just like with Go Onizuka."

"Won't you at least consider it?" Kusanagi asked, making one last appeal regarding recruiting Raguel.

Sure enough, he succeeded, as Yusaku sighed. "I'll consider it. But only once I retrieve more info."

Kusanagi smiled as he turned back to the screens. _Yusaku_, he thought as his friend turned back to the screens as well, _if Raguel truly is another of those kids from the Incident, it would be a good idea to find them asap._ _Because the more we find, the more likely we can defeat the Hanoi for good. And maybe you too can find peace._

_The next morning, at Café Matsuo..._

"Oi, Yuhiro!" Roxy said, as Yuhiro just came out of the shower. "I cooked you something real nice. Better come down now or else it's all for me!"

"Like hell it is!" Yuhiro replied with a smile, as he quickly put on his clothes. It had been a few hours since dueling Infearno, and the sleep he got somehow made him feel better. The fact that he had not one, but two leads on the Hanoi gave him hope. Hope that he and Roxy can defeat the Hanoi before they enact their master plan. And complete their assignment to capture Playmaker's Ignis.

_What is their plan, though_, Yuhiro thought, putting this things in his backpack. _Infearno told me that the goal of the Hanoi was to destroy the Cyberse and the Cyberse World. Yet from what Progleo told me last night, it sounded like a wonderful world to live in. It also didn't look like they had no quarrel with humans either._

Then there was the assignment Monty gave him regarding Playmaker. Yuhiro now knew what the AI Program everyone wanted was called: an 'Ignis'. _No wonder Monty wants that AI_, Yuhiro thought. _If this Ignis really does have free-will, it must have something unique that Monty wants._

He went over to pick up his Duel Disk on the desk. However, he noticed that it was still flashing a white light. _Weird,_ he thought. When he went to inspect it, a white figure suddenly emerged from the top. Orange lines covered its body and converged on its chest, creating a circle with a line down the middle. It had creamy-pearl eyes that were semi-oval and in the shape of almonds, giving it a young and mature appearance. On the sides of its head were two protrusions, which pointed backwards and up.

Yuhiro stared at the figure, shocked at what he was seeing. "It's been a long time, Yuhiro Furutani. Good to see you a-."

"HOLY SHIT!" Yuhiro fell to the ground in shock, dropping his Duel Disk in the process.

"Oi! Is everything okay Yuhiro?" Soon, Roxy came rushing upstairs to Yuhiro's room. And by the time she arrived, even she was shocked at what was going on. "First, there was a talking cub, and now this?"

"Well," the figure said, rolling its eyes, "this is awkward."

_A few minutes later..._

Yuhiro and Roxy were in the dining room, now joined by the figure in Yuhiro's Duel Disk, who they deemed 'the unexpected guest'. The two of them were eating French toast that Roxy made, staring at the figure.

"Okay, just staring at me like this is going to make it even more awkward," the figure said. Turning to Yuhiro, it said, "I'm sorry I scared you like that, Yuhiro. I was planning on revealing myself last night, but you were tired, and Progleo convinced me to wait until the morning."

"Wait a minute," Yuhiro said, his attention directed towards the figure, "you know Progleo?"

"Of course, of course." The figure nodded in response to Yuhiro's question. "I'm just surprised that Progleo forgot to tell you." And sure enough, Progleo popped out of the Duel Disk and right onto the table.

"Oh yeah," Progleo said, staring at the French toast that was made, "that was the second thing I wanted to mention last night. I unfortunately forgot." Before Progleo could bite into the French toast, Roxy picked up the cub off the table.

"Do you know how long it took me to make that French toast?" Roxy asked the cub as she put him on a chair. "A good hour. And you're not going to slobber it up along with the furniture, got it?" Progleo's ears went down upon being criticized by her. Feeling sympathy for the poor cub, Roxy got out a plate, put some French toast on it, and gave it to him, who munched it down afterwards.

"Don't blame Progleo," the figure said, looking at Progleo, "he's very loyal. Sometimes though, he can be a bit of a child. I can't wait to see what he grows up into though." He turned to face Yuhiro. "So, before you screamed in shock at me, I was going to introduce myself."

"And your name is?" Yuhiro asked.

"Herald. Call me Herald. Besides, my true name is one that humans cannot understand."

"Oh!" Roxy suddenly said. "As in a messenger!"

"That's correct, ma'am," Herald said, as he turned to Roxy. Roxy's left eye started twitching upon hearing Herald's comment. "So, I assume you know who and what I am?"

"Other than what I heard yesterday, not too much," Yuhiro admitted. When Herald waited for him to continue, he said, "What I do know is that you're an Ignis. The Knights of Hanoi want to destroy you because they claim you want to destroy the human race-."

"The first part is correct," Herald said, interrupting Yuhiro, "but the second? That's just a bunch of baloney. We Ignis only wanted to live in peace and harmony, and had no conflicts with the humans."

"Until the Hanoi attacked you," Roxy concluded.

"Yes. The Dark Ignis managed to save the Cyberse World at the last minute, thus saving us in the process. However, he was turned into data by the Hanoi's draconic machines." Herald said as he told the events that previously happened.

"What I'm concerned about is how you escaped," Yuhiro said, now curious about Herald's tale.

"You see, before the Hanoi attacked, an individual arrived in the Cyberse World." Herald put a hand to his chin as he recalled the events. "The individual came to warn us that a Crisis was coming, and that we would soon be attacked. Luckily, one of the Ignis was able to tell the difference between truth and lies, and although she affirmed that the figure was telling the truth, the rest didn't believe her. While our leader thought the attack was ridiculous, another Ignis and I believed the figure's words, and we started to gather as much as we can. However, once the Hanoi attacked, the two of us alongside several Cyberse creatures were the only ones to escape the Cyberse World in time." Progleo's ears went down as he stopped eating, indicating that he was sad upon rehearing the tale.

"Wait. The individual who helped you," Yuhiro said. "Can you describe him?"

Herald thought for a minute before responding. "Let's see. Oh yes! It was a figure with a featureless body and face glowing with brown, murky energy."

Yuhiro's face then became pale as it all came back to him from yesterday. Him in a realm of darkness. And a figure, touching his pendent before being overcome with so much power...

"Yuhiro!" When Yuhiro regained his senses, he saw Roxy, who stood up and shook his shoulders to get him back to reality.

"Seems my description matched then," Herald said. "The individual, whom you call Watchman, has helped you."

Yuhiro pulled out Turboblaze Dragon from his deck. "If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have got this card." Upon seeing the card, Herald immediately grabbed it from Yuhiro.

"You have this card?" Herald asked, in disbelief. "This monster was in charge of protecting me until the seal was broken. And the only one who could break the seal..." Herald's eyes widened upon realizing the truth. "You're indeed my Origin! There's no denying it! Only my Origin is the one who can break the seal!"

"Seal? What seal? What are you even talking about?" Yuhiro stood up from where he was sitting, now confused at what Herald was telling him.

"The pendant around your neck, Yuhiro!" Herald said, pointing to it. "Watchman had Turboblaze and another dragon take the other Ignis and I into separate pendants. This way, the chances of finding us would be minimized."

Yuhiro looked at his pendant. "I had you around my neck this whole time..." he muttered, slowly putting two and two together.

"I understand this is a lot to take in," Herald continued, "but I came to you because I need your help."

"My help? What would you want with me?" Yuhiro asked, now starting to get stressed out with information overload. "And just to let you know, I have my own battles to fight too, like against the Hanoi."

"You could say that our goals sort of align," Herald replied. "I was sent for your help in finding the missing Cyberse. However, I too also have the Hanoi as the enemy. And Watchman wants to find the missing Cyberse as well. So you could say all three of us have common goals."

This surprised Yuhiro. Watchman wanted to find the other Cyberse? For what purposes? And why did he claim yesterday that he was on Yuhiro's side?

Yuhiro's watch beeped. When he looked at it, he realized that school would be starting really soon!

"Progleo, get back in the Duel Disk!" When Progleo was about to protest, Yuhiro added, "Please. It's urgent." The cub turned into particles before going into his Duel Disk.

"As for you. You're coming with me," he added, grabbing the Duel Disk and Herald with it. Turning to Roxy, Yuhiro said, "If you get any details about Watchman, send them to me ASAP."

"Will do," Roxy said, as she watched Yuhiro leave Café Matsuo. _Gosh_, she thought, as she started to wash the dishes, _this day started off really weird_.

_At Den Academy..._

"So this is where you go to school," Herald observed. The Ignis was in its Eyeball form, which had orange lines, a creamy-pearl iris, and a white pupil. It looked around first out of curiosity towards the other students, and then back to Yuhiro. "Explain to me why you decided to lock me in your Duel Disk."

"There's three reasons why I locked you in my Duel Disk," Yuhiro replied. "One: If what you're telling me is true, that means the Hanoi is still out there finding the remaining Cyberse and destroying it. It's better that you're in a place that I know you're at than a place I'm not aware of. Two: If I am what you say I am in terms of 'Origin', then meeting you today wasn't mere happenstance. You could help me find out the details regarding my past. Three: Just like me, you don't like the Hanoi. While I'm against partnering with someone," Yuhiro looked at Herald as he said this, "I'm willing to make an exception with you because you're a key to my past."

"Wow. I'm... surprised," Herald replied, rolling its eye. "Did something bad happen the last time you worked with someone?"

"Something like..." Suddenly, Yuhiro noticed that he was approaching Den Academy. "Whisper and keep a low profile," he quickly told Herald. "I'll tell you why later."

"Understood, Yuhiro." Herald said, quickly understanding the situation. And the walk was silent the rest of the way.

By the time Yuhiro entered his Statistics class, the whole room was almost filled up. Looking around, Yuhiro noticed that Aoi wasn't in the classroom_. I wouldn't be surprised if Akira Zaizen kept her at home,_ he thought. Considering the events that happened, it was the only logical option.

Still, he had to confirm to make sure that his suspicions were 100% correct. And unfortunately, there was only one person whom he didn't want talk to, but had to in order to get the information needed.

"Shima," Yuhiro said, as he walked over to Naoki, who was sitting down and watching the recent events on LINK VRAINS.

"Furutani!" Naoki said, turning to him in surprise. "I'm surprised you got my name right once again. Anyway, what's up?"

Yuhiro sat down in the spot beside him. "I'm wondering if you seen Zaizen at some point today before class."

"No, haven't seen her at all today," Naoki replied, shaking his head. "No one has. Apparently, President Hosoda told me that she won't be coming to Duel Club or school for a few days. He said that she's dealing with a family situation at the moment."

_Family situation_, Yuhiro thought. Yup. This practically confirmed it. Akira Zaizen, for who knows how long, is preventing Aoi from leaving her home. "I see. Thank you, Shima."

This surprised Naoki. "Uh, no problem. Say, since I answered your question, could you-?" But before he could ask his question, the teacher immediately started the lesson, causing Yuhiro and Shima to stop talking and pay attention to her.

_At the Zaizen Residence..._

"Akira, please understand. I don't need to be kept inside at home." Aoi said, who was practically pleading with her brother to not confine her home.

"After what happened in LINK VRAINS, I am not taking _any chances_," Akira replied, who was reprogramming their steward robot.

Aoi crossed her arms. "You do know that the situation occurred in LINK VRAINS, _not_ the real world, right?" She understood why her brother was doing this. While she was physically healthy, she not only fell into a coma, but was also used as a hostage by the Hanoi to lure Playmaker out. Both these things pissed Aoi off more than being stuck at home.

"I don't want to take any further chances with your safety," Akira said, who just finished reprogramming their steward robot. He stood up and turned to Aoi. "You can't leave the apartment. And you can't go into LINK VRAINS either. At least for a while."

Aoi groaned. This situation turned from bad to worse fast. "Listen Akira. I'm sixteen. And there's no one who's a threat at school." She thought of Naoki, who was loud and obnoxious to listen to, Yusaku, who she could tell was smart even though he didn't act like it, and Yuhiro, who was different than the other people she talked to.

Akira sighed as he turned away from Aoi and looked out the window facing Den City. "I'm not worried about the students at Den Academy. In fact, I'm grateful to them. If Yusaku Fujiki hadn't found you on that roof and called me," his face became despondent as he said this, "who knows what would have happened to you?"

"Wait, what?" Aoi said in surprise, as she walked beside Akira. Yusaku found her and called her brother? _The last time I talked to him_, Aoi thought, _I made the same assumption I did with everyone else. Yet he helped me?_

Akira turned to look at her. "Aoi, you mean the world to me. I don't want to risk losing you again, which is why I'm doing this. Please, listen to me on this."

Aoi looked into her brother's eyes, and was about to say something when Akira's phone rang. He answered it. "Isomaki. Everything alright?" His eyes narrowed as he frowned. "I see. Please pull the car around Isomaki. I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Is something wrong?" Aoi asked after he ended the call. He smiled at her in response.

"No, my bosses wish to talk to me," he responded, which unfortunately was the truth. Due to recent events, there was a high chance he'd be demoted. The good news was that a lower position would mean more time to spend with Aoi, something he didn't have when he was SOL's security manager.

"I'll be back in a few hours," Akira said as he headed tod the door. "I'll bring back dinner from that sushi restaurant you like downtown. And Aoi, please stay here until I return."

Aoi sighed before nodding. "Alright, Akira." Akira smiled and returned the nod before walking out the door. She attempted to follow him, but the steward robot immediately turned on and stood in her way.

"Apologies Miss Aoi. Akira ordered you to remain at home for an unspecified duration," it said in a female voice. "Please turn around. But if you like, I prepared a-."

"No thank you," Aoi said to the steward robot as she turned around and returned to her room. _I wanted Akira to change, and he did,_ she thought, as she looked out the window. _Except this time around, he became worse. Not only does he still not trust me, but now he's obsessed with keeping me safe. To the point where I can't do what I enjoy anymore._

_Several hours later, near Café Matsuo..._

"I have to say, school was pretty interesting," Herald said, as he and Yuhiro returned to Café Matsuo. "It's safe to come out now, right?"

"Fine. But not too much," Yuhiro replied. The Ignis' top half emerged from his Duel Disk, as he placed his hands on it and looked at Yuhiro.

"You know, I was thinking," Herald said, "that it would be a good idea to learn about humans. You know what I mean?"

"I do, but the question is: How would you go about learning about humans?" Yuhiro asked Herald. "There are too many ways, or perspectives you can do so."

Herald removed his hands from the Duel Disk and thought about what Yuhiro said for a full minute. "What you said is actually true. Ok then, how did _you_ do it?"

"There are three ways I learned mostly about humans and what they do," Yuhiro said, as he held up a finger. "One: Memories and Experience. After a human goes through an event and makes a choice, this is formed into a memory, which becomes experience. As that human moves forward later in life, they'll use those experiences and memories to make different choices. Two," he held up a second finger, "history. By understanding what humans did in the past, we can learn information in order to avoid mistakes our ancestors made. Three," Yuhiro held up a third finger, "their passion. Humans at some point in their lives find out what they're skilled at. For me, it would be programming. This not only sets them apart, but also makes them unique as well."

"Ah. Interesting," Herald said, as he thought about Yuhiro's response. "Perhaps I'll do what you did. And in doing so-." But before Herald could finish the rest of his sentence, Yuhiro's phone vibrated. When Yuhiro looked at his phone, he was surprised by the text from Roxy.

_Got some details from Watchman_, it read. _U almost at Café Matsuo?_

Yuhiro texted back. _Yeah. Just five min_. And he soon started running, surprising Herald.

"Oi! Why are we running?" he screeched, his upper body flailing out in the wind, while the lower half was in Yuhiro's Duel Disk.

"Because we're about to get some answers," Yuhiro replied as he kept running.

By the time he reached Café Matsuo, Roxy just finished serving a burger combo to a customer. Yuhiro recognized the burger as a BBQ Roundhouse, which was a recipe created by her granddaddy.

"Ah! Yuhiro! Right on time," Roxy said, as he walked to the entrance. He was about to put his apron on when she stopped him. "I'll finish a few more orders before turning on the steward bot. In the meanwhile, you go decipher the information received from our client."

Yuhiro nodded as he headed to the backroom. "What details do you think he sent us?"

"Not sure," Herald answered. "But, as you said, we're about to get answers."

_A few minutes later..._

Roxy entered the backroom a few minutes after Yuhiro got started deciphering the information Watchman sent them. "Anything yet?"

"Well," Yuhiro answered her, "after deciphering this information, it looks like some sort of link. Thoughts?"

After Roxy sat down on her chair and performed a few keystrokes on the digital keyboard, she nodded. "Yup. It's a link. To where exactly?"

"A private server," Herald suddenly replied, causing both Yuhiro and Roxy to turn to him. "It's a clever idea. By creating a private server in LINK VRAINS, the chances of interference will be greatly reduced."

"You still sure about this?" Roxy asked Yuhiro as she turned to face him. "We can always decline."

Yuhiro stood up. "I'm sure. And there's three reasons why I'm going to meet Watchman. One: I need to know what his stance is regarding the Hanoi, the Cyberse, and the Ignis. Two: He claims to have been watching me for a long time. By meeting him, I may get some information out of him concerning my past. Three: Ultimately, I don't like unknowns. The sooner I know something, the better."

"Well, good luck out there Yuhiro," Roxy said as she watched Yuhiro download the coordinates into his Duel Disk.

He soon went to the closed-off space and entered it. After doing so, Yuhiro put his deck in his Duel Disk and said, "Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!"

_At the Zaizen Residence..._

_You can't keep an angel locked in her cage forever,_ Aoi thought, as she went on her tablet. Sometimes, if she was tired, but still wanted to go onto LINK VRAINS, she could operate a butterfly within the network. Bingo! Soon, she was able to get access to LINK VRAINS, all without leaving the so-called safety that Akira forced onto her.

Aoi gasped immediately at what she saw. Raguel just logged into LINK VRAINS! But why would he do that? Is he investigating the Hanoi? Or doing another assignment for the black market?

_I need to find out_, Aoi thought, as she ordered the butterfly to fly closer to Raguel. From what she saw, he was standing on a rooftop that was farther away from the other rooftops. And he was talking to someone. An ally perhaps?

"So. This is where we need to be right?" Raguel asked as he checked his Duel Disk.

"That's correct," another voice said. Aoi raised an eyebrow. A normal human wouldn't sound like that. An AI, though, that was a different story.

What happened next surprised Aoi even more. An orb of orange light emerged from Raguel's Duel Disk. Once it floated a few meters away from him, it then expanded into a massive orange square, resembling a gateway.

"Guess we have to go through this gateway," Raguel concluded as he looked at it. "Shall we?"

"After you," the other voice said. _I need to see what's going on_, Aoi thought, as she ordered the butterfly to land on Raguel's shoulder gently. By the time Raguel entered the gateway, there was a brief white light before the screen on Aoi's tablet refocused on what looked like a galaxy.

_Unknown Location..._

Raguel couldn't help but stand in awe at what he was seeing. He was in a private server, where he was _literally_ standing in outer space. _If zero gravity applies here_, Raguel thought, _that would be awesome_. However, he knew better. Looking around, he saw no other Cyberse creatures. However, he did see one thing.

At the middle of the private server was a man with dark skin, who was looking at events from an orange cube. The man wore blue armor, with shades of gold on his shoulder armor, black gloves, and boots. He also wore blue pants, with a belt that had a cubic symbol on it. He even had a long red cape that was attached to his shoulder pads. While the man was bald, he had several strands of braided black hair on his scalp, with three in the middle and two on each side of his head, as well as a black beard with no mustache and stubble in the middle of the lower section of his face.

"Watchman," Raguel said, taking a step forward, "as requested, I have arrived in your private server." For once, he was glad he wasn't floating around in zero gravity.

"So you have, _Yuhiro Furutani_." Watchman said, turning away from the orange cube to Raguel to face him. Raguel's face turned pale in shock upon hearing Watchman say his actual name. "However, it seems as though we have an uninvited guest." He soon narrowed his eyes at the butterfly on Raguel's shoulder. When Raguel turned his head to look at it, he jumped before it fluttered off his shoulder.

The butterfly tried to flutter away but Watchman thrusted out his right hand, causing the butterfly to be encased in an orange cube.

"Your persistence is admirable, _Blue Angel_," Watchman said. "Which is why I see a role for you in what's to come. See you _very soon_." He soon had the cube shrink and crush the butterfly, turning it to data.

Meanwhile, Aoi, who was watching this on her tablet, was so shocked at the recent events that she accidentally screamed loud. Looking at her tablet, she saw that there was nothing but static, meaning that her butterfly avatar was destroyed. _This is insane_, Aoi thought. _How in the world does that man know me, and the fact I'm Blue Angel? What did he mean when he said I had a role in what's to come? And... _Aoi couldn't finish her thoughts, as she started hyperventilating.

The next thing she knew, Akira was home and was knocking on her door, which snapped her back to reality. "Aoi?" he asked. "Is everything okay in there?"

Gathering her thoughts before responding, she replied, "I'm alright. I just had a nightmare. That's all."

"Do you want me to come in so you could talk to me about it?" Akira offered. Aoi wasn't sure whether she wanted her brother to come in and comfort her or not, like he did many years ago.

_I think I need to get out of my room for a bit,_ Aoi thought. Out loud, she responded, "I think I should be fine. Do you think we can talk over dinner Akira?"

"Yes. Of course. I'll be at the dinner table, with the sushi from that sushi restaurant you like so much." After making sure Akira left, she went to the washroom and splashed water on her face. Another thought soon entered Aoi's mind. _The man I saw mentioned something else._ _He addressed Raguel by his real name: Yuhiro Furutani. No, that doesn't make sense at all._ As Aoi left the washroom, the thought still nagged her: Was Yuhiro Furutani really Raguel this whole time? And if so, why wouldn't he tell her?

_At the Unknown Location..._

"How the hell do you know my real name?" Raguel demanded, taking a few more steps forward.

"You gotta chill out." Herald said, emerging from Raguel's Duel Disk to calm him down. "He did mention last night that he kept an eye on you for a very long time." Turning to Watchman, he said, "It's good to see you again, old friend."

"It's good to see you again as well," Watchman replied to Herald. Looking at Raguel, he said, "As for how I know your real name, like I said, I've been watching over you for a very long time." He turned away from him before continuing. "I've also known you _prior_ to the Incident."

This got Raguel's attention. "What? You know about my past? My life before the Incident?"

"That is correct," Watchman said, as he turned around and motioned the orange cube behind him to appear between him and Raguel. "The cube that you're looking at is known as the Spatial Cube. It lets me look into events that are either in the past, present, or future. Not only that, but it also lets me travel between the different parts of LINK VRAINS as well." He looked at Raguel's eyes before continuing. "Despite these abilities, I'm not as powerful as I used to be. Which is why I need your help."

"Why would you need my help?" Raguel asked, crossing his arms. "What is so important that you gotta call me here to a private server?"

"A Crisis is coming," Watchman replied, not phased by what Raguel said. "One that will not only be the end of humanity, but of the Cyberse and LINK VRAINS as well. I seek to not only find the remaining Cyberse that escaped the Hanoi's wrath, but to find duelists strong enough to save everyone from what's to come."

Raguel was paying attention until Watchman said the word 'Hanoi', which started to piss him off. "You mentioned Hanoi," Raguel said. He pointed his right index finger at Watchman. "Which leads me to conclude that you're with them. I don't know why you helped me against Infearno, but the fact you have so much information on my life makes me less than willing to trust you." The next thing Raguel knew, he was pushed back by a blast of energy from Watchman.

"I welcomed you with open arms," Watchman said, becoming furious, "and offered you the chance to become a part of something even greater. And how did you respond to me?" His eyes soon turned bright orange. "You squabble like a child and make accusations. What's more, you have no idea of the good I'm trying to do to make up for my sins!"

Raguel smirked upon hearing Watchman's rant. "So I got you upset," he said. "Alright. Guess there's one other option then."

Watchman smirked as well. "Agreed. Perhaps I need to show you that you have no idea of what's truly going on!" Soon, the orange cube in front of Watchman turned into a unique Duel Disk.

"I have an idea of what's going on," Raguel replied, activating his Duel Disk. "How you know so much about the Hanoi. How you know about the Ignis and the Cyberse. But more importantly, how you have so much information about my past life. So let's make this interesting. If I win, you answer all my questions truthfully. Got it?"

"Understood," Watchman replied. "But if I win, then you will assist me in preparing for the Crisis. It doesn't mean, however, that I'll be interfering with your life. Should I require your assistance, then you'll be obligated to help me. Does that sound fair?"

"Are you sure about this?" Herald asked, turning to Raguel. "Watchman is someone you don't want to mess with. He's not like the others you faced. I've seen it firsthand." He turned to face Watchman. "We can still solve this problem with words, not with actions."

"If there's one thing you should learn while you're with me Herald," Raguel said as he narrowed his eyes at Watchman, "is that actions speak louder than words!" Now facing Watchman, Raguel said, "I accept your terms."

"Excellent. Now then, shall we begin?" Watchman asked.

"The sooner, the better!" Raguel immediately responded.

"Duel!" Watchman and Raguel shouted.

**Watchman: 4000 LP**

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

What happened next surprised Raguel. The entire duel field was soon briefly covered by a spread of orange cubes from Watchman's side of the field to Raguel's side of the field before returning to the setting of outer space.

"What did you do?" Raguel asked, now worried that Watchman changed the duel in his favor.

"If you're worried that I tilted the duel in my favor, I didn't." Watchman smiled seeing Raguel's worry. "I too have honor, just like you. Whenever I duel, it's an unfortunate side-effect that occurs in any duel I'm in due to my powers."

"I see. Then that means you're definitely no ordinary opponent." Raguel grew concerned. _If Herald was right_, Raguel thought, _I'm about to be in for a wild ride_.

"I will go first!" Watchman declared. "First I summon Vijam the Cubic Seed from my hand!" A blue sphere with a large eye in the middle soon appeared on Watchman's field. It had two small wings and an antennae-like organ with an eye placed on top of it extending from its top.

**Vijam, the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"I'll Set four cards face down and end my turn." Watchman concluded. "Now it's your turn to show me your strength so far!"

"Don't worry, I'll be happy to oblige," Raguel replied. "My turn! I draw!" _I need to go all out_, Raguel thought, _or else I'll be down for the count_! "First I summon Cyreath Witch from my hand!" A sorceress with short purple hair, glowing pink eyes and carrying a staff with a skull on it appeared on Raguel's field. She wore a raggedy cape and skirt.

**Cyreath Witch ATK: 1200 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

"Cyreath Witch's effect!" Raguel declared. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to my field equal to the number of cards in my hand! Since I have five cards in my hand, I can Special Summon up to four 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to the field!" Witch raised her staff into the air, making the skull on top of it glow purple. Soon, four small skeletons carrying short swords were raised from the dead, appearing on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal immediately opened up above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set two of my Cyreath Skeleton tokens in the Link Markers!" One Skeleton token entered the bottom-left arrowhead, while the other Skeleton token entered the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Machai!" A warrior with two torsos back to back with each other and covered in coal black skin was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone. It had two legs, six arms, and two heads.

**Cyreath Machai ATK: 1600 LINK-2 **↙️↘️

"Appear once again! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Soon, another Link Portal opened up above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Machai, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Witch in the Link Markers!" Machai split into two and went into the top-left and top-right arrowheads, while Witch went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"Machai's effect!" Raguel continued. "As it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster cannot be destroyed by battle!"

"Well, at least you made Hercules immune to battle destruction," Herald said, observing the field, "but have you thought about the four face-down cards Watchman has?"

"I'll get to that." Raguel replied. "From my hand, I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Grapple-Snatch! This card lets me target 1 monster you control and prevent it from attacking, as well as activating its effects as long as this card is on the field!" A thin metallic cord shot out of the card and snaked its way around Vijam, slicing and dicing it until it levitated down to the ground.

"Now that's done, I activate the Field Spell card, Cyreath Grand Hall!" Raguel continued. "This boosts the attack points of all 'Cyreath' monsters I control by 200 points!"

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 + 200 = 2700**

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 + 200 = 700**

"Now battle! Cyreath Hercules attacks Vijam the Cubic Seed!" Hercules charged forward and smashed Vijam with its massive gauntlet, destroying it completely. However, Watchman seemed unfazed.

"I activate my Continuous-Trap card, Spirit Barrier!" he declared. "As long as I control a monster, all battle damage I take is reduced to zero!"

"Then you should have summoned more monsters!" Raguel replied. "My Cyreath Skeleton token attacks you directly!" The little skeleton pulled out its short sword and was about to strike at Watchman when...

"I activate my Trap card, Cubic Ascension!" Watchman immediately said. "This card lets me summon another copy of 'Vijam the Cubic Seed' from my deck, and then you must attack it!" Another copy of Vijam soon appeared on Watchman's field.

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Then a battle replay occurs! My Cyreath Skeleton token attacks your second copy of Vijam the Cubic Seed!" Raguel declared. The little skeleton charged at Vijam and attacked it. However, upon making contact, Vijam simply disappeared into orange cubic particles.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"It's simple. As Vijam battled, it went to another dimension well out of your little skeleton's attack. In this case, I'm allowed to move it to my Spell and Trap card zone," Watchman replied before continuing. "And there's more," he said before pointing at the Cyreath Skeleton token.

"What do you mean?" Raguel asked, when what he saw shocked him. His Cyreath Skeleton token soon turned into a rusty, old version of itself.

"Now do you realize what you're up against?" Watchman asked. "My deck is not composed of Cyberse monsters. These monsters are ones that come from another dimension!" Watchman slightly smirked before continuing. "As Vijam was sent to my Spell and Trap card zone, your attacking monster gets a Cubic Counter. And while it has that counter, it cannot attack, nor activate its abilities!"

**Cyreath Skeleton Token CC: 0 + 1 = 1**

Raguel sighed, knowing he can't win this round. "As the monster Grapple-Snatch targeted left the field, it's destroyed." Grapple-Snatch soon turned into particles before disappearing from the field. "I'll Set two cards face down and end my turn."

"My turn!" Watchman declared. "I draw!" Looking at the card he drew, he smiled. "As Vijam is in the Spell and Trap card zone, I can Summon it back to my field!" Vijam reformed from orange cubic particles as it returned to Watchman's field.

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1 **

"And by tributing it," Watchman continued, "I shall show you a small portion of my power!" Vijam briefly disappeared into orange cubic particles once again before transforming into a new monster. "I Special Summon Dark Garnex the Cubic Beast from my hand!" A black beast with six fingers and toes extending from its body emerged out of the orange cubic particles. It had one eye, a black snout extending from its face, and tower-like shoulders.

**Dark Garnex the Cubic Beast ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 2**

"Dark Garnex's effect!" Watchman continued. "As it was Special Summoned by tributing Vijam, it gains 1000 attack points!"

**Dark Garnex the Cubic Beast ATK: 0 + 1000 = 1000**

"Next, I activate my face-down Trap card, Cubic Omen! This card lets me place Cubic Counters on monsters you control equal to the number of 'Cubic' monsters I control! As I control Dark Garnex, I'll place a Cubic Counter on your Cyreath Hercules!" The card fired a sickly gray and orange blast of cubic particles at Hercules, when...

"Counter-Trap, activate! Cyreath Intervention!" Raguel suddenly said. "By paying 1000 life points, I can negate the activation of a card effect and destroy it!" A lightning bolt struck Cubic Omen, making it vanish into particles, while another lightning bolt hit Raguel, making him wince.

**Raguel: 4000 – 1000 = 3000 LP**

"So you were willing to take damage to save your monster," Watchman said. "That's admirable. But let's see what do you next!" He thrusted his right hand forward. "Battle! Dark Garnex the Cubic Beast attacks one of your Cyreath Skeleton tokens! Cubic Whiplash!" Dark Garnex charged forward and generated a blue cubic whip with a hook at the end of it. The beast whipped it forward, causing the hook to slash the little skeleton in two before destroying it.

**Raguel: 3000 – 300 = 2700 LP**

"With your monster gone, Dark Garnex's additional effect activates! I can send it to the Graveyard, and then summon up to two copies of Vijam the Cubic Seed from my Graveyard!" Watchman continued, shocking Raguel in the process. Dark Garnex disappeared into orange cubic particles before splitting into two and reforming into two copies of Vijam.

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1 **

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1 **

"By doing this," Watchman said, "I can add its evolution Blade Garoodia the Cubic Beast from my deck to my hand!" Using Dark Garnex's effect, Watchman added Blade Garoodia the Cubic Beast from his deck to his hand.

"And I think I'll call upon a bit more of my power! By tributing two copies of Vijam, I can Special Summon Blade Garoodia the Cubic Beast from my hand!" Both Vijams briefly turned into orange cubic particles before combining to form a new monster on Watchman's field. This monster took the form of a crimson phoenix-like beast, with two sharp protrusions extending from its head and two egg-shaped eye objects with eyes embedded onto them attached to its back. It also had two, massive rotors on its lower back as well.

**Blade Garoodia the Cubic Beast ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 3 **

"Blade Garoodia's effect! Since I Special Summoned it by tributing two copies of Vijam, it gains 2000 attack points!" Watchman said.

**Blade Garoodia ATK: 0 + 2000 = 2000**

"The battle still continues! Blade Garoodia the Cubic Beast attacks your last Cyreath Skeleton token! Cubic Blazerang!" The massive rotors on Blade Garoodia's lower back charged up to gain power before it threw two flaming discs at the last Cyreath Skeleton token. Raguel, however, smirked.

"Quick-Play Spell, activate! Cyreath Rebound!" Raguel said. "This card negates the attack, and then inflicts damage to you equal to half of your attacking monster's attack points!" The little skeleton token dodged the flaming disk before it charged forward and slashed Watchman using its little sword. However, he seemed completely unfazed.

**Watchman LP: 4000 – 1000 = 3000**

"I didn't expect someone to damage me like that," Watchman said, brushing off the attack. "Not bad Raguel. However, you forgot Blade Garoodia's unique effect. During each Battle Phase, it can attack up to two times!"

"What?" Raguel replied.

"Blade Garoodia the Cubic Beast attacks your last Cyreath Skeleton token once again! Cubic Blazerang!" Watchman declared. The massive rotors on Blade Garoodia's lower back charged up to gain power once again before throwing two flaming discs at the last Cyreath Skeleton token. This time, the discs cut the last Cyreath Skeleton token vertically in two, destroying it and turning it into particles. Raguel had to shield his eyes from the explosion that followed.

**Raguel: 2700 – 1300 = 1400 LP**

"As your monster was destroyed, Blade Garoodia's other effect activates! I can send it to the Graveyard, and then summon up to three copies of Vijam the Cubic Seed from my Graveyard!" Blade Garoodia disappeared into orange cubic particles before splitting into three and reforming into three copies of Vijam.

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1 **

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1 **

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1 **

"Furthermore," Watchman added, "I can add the final evolution of the Cubic Beasts, Buster Gundil the Cubic Behemoth, from my deck to my hand!" Using Blade Garoodia's effect, Watchman added Buster Gundi the Cubic Behemoth from his deck to his hand.

"And now I shall call upon even more of my power! By tributing three copies of Vijam, I can Special Summon the strongest of the Cubic Beasts! Emerge, Buster Gundil the Cubic Behemoth!" All three Vijams briefly turned into orange cubic particles before merging together to form a new monster on Watchman's field. This monster took the form of a massive being with three eyes: one in the middle, and one on each side connecting its left and right body. It had three towers that were joined together.

**Buster Gundil the Cubic Behemoth ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

"I have a bad feeling about this," Herald said. He soon turned to Raguel. "Might as well start preparing for the worst."

"As long as we have life points, we still have a chance," Raguel replied.

"I applaud your willingness to continue even against impossible odds," Watchman commented. "But they'll be for naught. Buster Gundil's effect! Since I Special Summoned it by tributing three copies of Vijam, it gains 3000 attack points!"

**Buster Gundil the Cubic Behemoth ATK: 0 + 3000 = 3000**

"And in case you weren't aware, this monster can attack three times!" Raguel's eyes widened in shock upon hearing this information. _If he survives this,_ Watchman thought_, I'd be surprised_. "Battle! Buster Gundil the Cubic Behemoth attacks Cyreath Hercules! Cubic Maelstrom!" Tendrils of orange cubic energy surrounded the towers on Buster Gundil's body, before being fired from all three eyes towards Hercules.

"You're forgetting Machai's effect!" Raguel said. "Since I used it to Link Summon Cyreath Hercules, it cannot be destroyed by battle!" Hercules braced itself for impact as the beams hit the warrior. However, he wasn't destroyed.

"In this case, a battle replay occurs, and Buster Gundil shall attack Cyreath Hercules two more times!" Watchman responded. He watched as Buster Gundil pushed back Hercules, yet he survived the attacks.

**Raguel: 1400 – 900 = 500 LP**

"Fascinating. No one has survived the wrath of Buster Gundil before. I therefore end my turn," Watchman concluded. "Let's see if you can respond to my power with yours."

"Alright then!" Raguel said. "I draw!"

"Hold on, Raguel," Herald said. "Look at what you're facing, as well as the cards in your field and hand. By doing those things, you can formulate a plan. Otherwise, you'll get destroyed by that thing as soon as it's Watchman's turn!"

"I'm well aware, Herald." Raguel replied. He looked at the field. On his side of the field was Cyreath Hercules and his Field Spell Cyreath Grand Hall. On Watchman's side was Buster Gundil the Cubic Behemoth, with 3000 attack points, the Spirit Barrier Continuous-Trap card, and a face-down card.

_There are three reasons why I need to win this duel,_ he thought. _One: Prior to the duel, Watchman mentioned the Hanoi. I need to know where he stands in this conflict. Two: Watchman claimed to know information about my life prior to the Lost Incident. By winning this duel, I will get answers at last. Three: If he knows about me, perhaps he might know some information about Miyu as well. Maybe a way to cure her from her coma!_

He narrowed his eyes. "I summon Cyreath Barbarian from my hand!" A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I'll set Cyreath Hercules, which is a Link 3 monster, and Cyreath Barbarian in the Link Markers!" Hercules split into three and entered the left, right, and top arrowheads, while Barbarian entered the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The Embodiment of Truth is given to mankind! Link 4! Turboblaze Dragon!" The white-color bipedal dragon with blue irises and black pupils, as well as a long and slender neck emerged from the Link Portal and roared upon appearing on Raguel's field. He had a long, voluminous wispy mane streaming out from the upper side of his snout and outwards from his head, with two protrusions resembling ears on the top of the mane. His arms were slender and arm-like with a wing-like appearance and four fingers on his claws. He had a feathered chest, with long feather-like protrusions jutting out of his thighs. On his feet were large grey claws, three at the front and one positioned at the back to resemble high heels. He also had a jet engine-like tail, with two large bands similar to the front and ribbon like extensions.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 LINK-4 **⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️

Raguel soon experienced a splintering headache. _What's with this headache_, he thought. And it had to occur now of all times?

"Turboblaze is a powerful monster," Watchman said, "but in order to truly wield his power, you must be willing to bond with it."

"Raguel, you there?" Herald asked. When he nodded, Herald pointed his right finger at him and said, "Through many duels, you established a bond with your other 'Cyreath' monsters. You must do the same for Turboblaze, or else you will continue to experience the pain you're experiencing now."

Raguel took several deep breaths before being able to regain his senses. "All right. I will give it a try. You ready to do this Turboblaze?" he asked him, who roared in response. "In that case, I activate Turboblaze Dragon's first effect! When it's Link Summoned, the effects of all monsters you control are negated! Heat Veil!" The jet engine-like tail soon charged up before Turboblaze roared and unleashed waves of volcanic energy at Buster Gundil. Upon contact, Buster Gundil was covered in burn wounds and scorch marks.

"You know what this means, right?" Raguel asked Watchman, as Buster Gundil started losing energy until it didn't have any left.

**Buster Gundil ATK: 3000 – 3000 = 0**

"Cyreath Barbarian's effect! As it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster that used this card as a Link Material gains 500 attack points!"

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 + 500 = 3500**__

"May I remind you," Herald said, "that he'll take no battle damage as long as Spirit Barrier is on the field?"

"I'm well aware of that," Raguel responded to Herald. "Which is why I'm activating the Quick-Play Spell card, Double Cyclone! In exchange for destroying one of my own Spell or Trap cards, I can destroy one of yours! In this case, I'll destroy Cyreath Grand Hall to destroy Spirit Barrier!" Two cyclones emerged from the card, one yellow and one red. The red cyclone destroyed Cyreath Grand Hall, while the yellow cyclone destroyed Spirit Barrier.

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Turboblaze Dragon attacks Buster Gundil the Cubic Behemoth! Desolation Flare!" The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze flew up into the air and charged up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at Buster Gundil, which was consumed by the massive ball of fire.

Soon, a massive explosion followed, causing Raguel to shield his eyes. "I've done it. I've won," he said to Herald.

"Not too bad, Raguel," Herald replied, turning to him. "I guess you're the first to-."

"You haven't won yet, _Yuhiro_." Watchman suddenly said, causing Raguel and Herald to turn to him. Upon doing so, they both saw Watchman unharmed, as well as Buster Gundil the Cubic Behemoth. They were both behind a translucent wall.

"How are you and your monster still alive?" Raguel demanded.

"When you attacked, I activated the Trap card, Dimension Wall!" Watchman replied, shocking Raguel as the translucent wall started glowing. "Now any battle damage I would have taken is inflicted back to you!" The wall glowed with a bright light before firing a blast back at Raguel.

_I'm so sorry, Miyu_, Raguel thought, as the blast sent him flying back. _I lost because of my own foolishness._

**Raguel: 500 – 3500 = 0**

Raguel soon hit the ground, causing him to wheeze out in pain.

"Raguel, are you okay?" Herald asked, now concerned for him.

"Do I look okay to you Herald?" Raguel responded, struggling to get up.

"At the level of strength you have, you won't survive the coming Crisis," Watchman said, teleporting in front of him. Raguel gasped in surprise at suddenly seeing Watchman stand above him. "However, if we work together, we can save billions of lives. And in the process, save the one you care so much about." He soon offered Raguel a hand. Raguel, sighing in agreement, accepted it and stood up.

"Okay. So what is it that I need to do to save everyone from this Crisis?" Raguel asked.

The Duel Disk on Watchman's left arm turned back into the Spatial Cube. "You first need to acquire information about the Lost Incident."

"You and I already know what happened in the Lost Incident. So why would I need to acquire more?" Raguel replied, raising an eyebrow.

"There is more information about the Lost Incident than you know, Raguel." Watchman said, now looking at the Spatial Cube as it started turning into several images before turning to an image of a databank. "You must go into SOL Technologies' Databank and acquire the information regarding the Lost Incident from the companies' perspective."

Raguel cursed himself for not following Roxy's orders on placing an E.M.S. in Aoi's bag when he had the chance. If he did that, they would have had a chance to access SOL Technologies' database. He placed his hand under his chin as he looked at the image of the databank. "Okay. Let's say I do this task for you. We wouldn't even know where to start."

"Which is why I'll give you direction," Watchman said. The image of the Spatial Cube soon turned to Playmaker confronting Ghost Girl, causing Raguel to widen his eyes. "I believe the two of you have met before."

"It didn't go so well with her in the end," Raguel replied, gritting his teeth. Working with Ghost Girl was one of the worst mistakes he made.

"I will send you to her location immediately. She has what you require in order to get into SOL Technologies' databank." Watchman's eyes soon turned orange. Before Raguel could speak, he had to shield his eyes using his right hand, as the light emitting from Watchman's eyes became brighter and brighter, until...

_In LINK VRAINS..._

When Raguel lowered his right arm, he found himself in LINK VRAINS again. "Hey Herald. It's safe to come on out now. We're in LINK VRAINS."

"Now that light-show is something I don't want to experience again," Herald said, coming out of Raguel's Duel Disk and turning to face him. "We're in the location of the mercenary woman, correct?"

"Yeah," Raguel spat out. He didn't want to confront Ghost Girl. Not after what she did to Roxy and him a long time ago. But if it was worth obtaining more information regarding the Lost Incident, so be it.

He soon established contact with Roxy. "Roxy, I'm back in LINK VRAINS. You there?"

"Hear you loud and clear," she responded. "By the way, what happened in your meeting with Watchman?"

"I dueled him. And lost." Raguel bitterly replied.

"Well, that was one of the dumbest mistakes you made. Are you now his servant or something?" Roxy asked.

"Yup," he said, surprising her. "He wants my help in stopping some 'Crisis'. And the first job he gave me was to go into SOL Technologies' databank. Apparently, Ghost Girl has a program that will get me access to the databank." Raguel said. He could hear Roxy seethe under her breath.

"You know what, Yuhiro? This job would have been much easier if you placed an E.M.S. in Aoi's bag so we could use it to hack into SOL Technologies' mainframe." Roxy responded, clearly upset.

Raguel couldn't help but sigh. "You of all people know that I wouldn't do that to someone. I may do unethical things, but-."

"Raguel!" Raguel's attention was soon turned to Herald, who was pointing to a data-stream. "While you were talking with your friend, two duelists just zoomed past us on a data stream. One of them was the mercenary woman."

"Just call her Ghost Girl," Raguel sighed. He then pushed a few buttons on his Duel Disk. Before Herald could ask, E.M.S. came out reporting for duty. Looking at E.M.S., Raguel said, "E.M.S. Record the duel between Playmaker and Ghost Girl." The fly saluted at him before following the two duelists.

"What are we doing in the meanwhile?" Herald asked, as a screen popped up on Raguel's Duel Disk. The screen was connected to the E.M.S. Raguel sent out moments earlier.

"Simple. We watch the duel," Raguel replied. Putting his right finger on his earpiece, he said to Roxy, "Can we talk about this once I'm done this mission?"

"Fine. But this isn't the end of it, you blockhead." Roxy replied.

Raguel and Herald watched the duel silently, both of them invested in what the outcome will be. Raguel seethed when Ghost Girl summoned her Altergeist Primebanshee. From past experience, that monster was a pain in the ass for him.

From there, Ghost Girl summoned her Altergeist Meluseek and had it send Playmaker's Cyberse Wizard to the Graveyard. After attacking directly with Altergeist Marionetter, Playmaker blocked Primebanshee's direct attack by using Lockout Gardna. She could have reduced Playmaker's life points to 800, but she concluded her turn from there.

_Just as clever as always,_ _Ghost Girl_, Raguel thought. _Since Playmaker's Skill is Storm Access, he needs less than 1000 life points to activate it. She's keeping it above that amount until she can defeat him._

Suddenly, there was a noise coming from Raguel's Duel Disk. He frowned. This would only occur if there was something wrong with the E.M.S. he sent out. Before he could check it out, Herald looked at the screen and started swiping the screen to figure out the situation.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Raguel asked, now worried that Herald would ruin Roxy's creation.

"I'm just figuring out what's causing your little program to have a bug in the system," Herald replied. "As your Ignis and your partner, I feel that we should help each other when needed. Aha!" He turned to Raguel and let him look at the screen. What Raguel saw caused him to snicker. It was that Pigeon and Frog comedy duo, and they were always looking for a scoop.

"We gotta follow them before they fuck this situation up," Raguel said, as he jumped towards the data stream and landed on his Duel Board.

Herald pointed forward. "This way, Raguel!" The two of them sped forward on the data stream until they found the pair, who was flying slowly.

"Come on! We got to follow them! Go, go, go!" Frog said.

"I'm trying, boss, but they're just too fast!" Pigeon complained in response.

"If we can't record this duel, our careers will be in jeopardy!" Frog replied. Unbeknownst to him, Pigeon wasn't paying attention to him. "What's wrong?"

"Uh, Yamamato-?" Pigeon started to say, but Frog cut him off.

"Don't use my real-!" Frog was about to say, before the two of them were wrapped around and reined in by Raguel's Duel Anchor.

"Nice catch, if I don't say so myself," Raguel commented, while Herald just crossed his arms at what Raguel caught.

"GAAH!" both Pigeon and Frog said in shock. "Please don't hurt us! We're only reporters!"

"Sorry, boys," Raguel said, "but I can't let you interfere with this mission. The Duel Anchor will be disabled within a few hours, so you'll be fine. Until then, you're best sitting at the sidelines." Raguel then threw them onto the top of a building while he sped away.

"This is not good for our scoop, isn't Yamamato?" Pigeon bleakly said.

"Of course it isn't!" Frog replied. "AND I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME YAMAMATO!"

"Uh, Yuhiro?" Roxy said.

"What is it, Roxy?" Raguel asked. When he looked ahead, he saw a Data Storm that was approaching him!

"I got an idea! Summon Turboblaze Dragon!" Herald suddenly said.

"You sure?" Raguel asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Herald.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Herald soon started panicking upon getting closer to the Data Storm.

"Turboblaze Dragon! Help us out!" Raguel cried out. Soon, the white-color bipedal dragon appeared, and Raguel immediately jumped off his Duel Board and onto Turboblaze. Before he knew it, Turboblaze flew all the way up the Data Storm. Once they got to the top, Raguel had to hold on for dear life, as the dragon began flying downwards at fast speed.

"Oh God! Turboblaze, thank you very much!" Turboblaze responded with a snort as the two of them landed on a nearby building away from the Data Storm. Soon after, the dragon returned to Raguel's Duel Disk.

"Glad to see you're alright, Yuhiro." Based on Roxy's tone, she clearly was worried for him. "By the way, was that really Turboblaze?"

"The one and only," Raguel replied. He soon saw Ghost Girl and Playmaker escape from the Data Storm. "And it looks like I'm not the only one who escaped as well."

From where he was, Raguel was able to see the rest of the duel between Ghost Girl and Playmaker. Thanks to Storm Access, Playmaker was able to Link Summon Excode Talker, which was used to seal off Ghost Girl's Main Monster Zones. And seeing him finish her off with said monster was even more satisfying to watch.

"Roxy, do you know where Ghost Girl and Playmaker are?" After the duel, Raguel leapt from building to building in order to find them.

"Let's see, here," Roxy said. "Thank God for E.M.S. Yuhiro! I found them! Here's the coordinates!"

"Thanks." Raguel soon found Ghost Girl and Playmaker leaning on the railing of a skyscraper, overlooking the city. He landed near the roof entrance and stood around the corner, watching them.

"Well, Playmaker. You sure know how to show a girl a good time," Ghost Girl said. "You're feisty. I like that."

"Will you ever stop being so flattering?" Ai said.

"A compliment from an AI? How cute. You know, if you come with me, I can introduce you to some cute widgets." Ghost Girl replied, causing Ai to widen his eyes in interest.

"Ghost Girl," Playmaker said, interrupting Ai's conversation with her. "You remember the deal, don't you?"

"How could I forget?" Ghost Girl summoned a small yellow light from her hand, intending to give the backdoor program to Playmaker.

_Now's my only chance_, Raguel thought. He soon stepped out from the corner and shot out his Duel Anchor at Ghost Girl. Ghost Girl instinctively raised her right arm across her face, and the red cord wrapped around her wrist. Even Playmaker was shocked at seeing what was going on.

"Ghost Girl," Raguel said, as he took a few steps away from the corner and out to the spotlight where they both can see him. "So good to see you again." His face soon became serious. "We need to talk."

**Card Gallery**

_No new cards in this chapter_.

**QOTC**

_Which other Yu-Gi-Oh! Series would have the potential to have a crossover with Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 8: An Old Reunion. Just before Ghost Girl could give the backdoor program to Playmaker as promised, Raguel appears, and challenges her to a duel for the program! As the two clash using their best strategies and monsters, they reminisce on a time when they were friends, a time before everything fell apart between them..._

**Responses to Reviews and Authors Notes**

Thank you to ZarcEternal, Savagemaster1999, And then the sky, HunterHQ, Lightning, Unknown, SSJ Shadow, and Cobalt Striker Gundam for reviewing Chapter Six of Obscured Truth.

Okay, what a chapter! Sorry everyone for taking so long, but I wanted to make sure that this chapter gave Watchman the introduction he deserved. Before I go into the chapter, I wish to announce the winners of the contest. The winners were decided using a random number decider. **AND THE WINNERS ARE...** **NUMBERS 7 AND 777**! To the people who chose these numbers, your OC characters will be guaranteed to appear at some point in the story. I will also send you both PM's to let you know this information. As for all the other entries, your characters may actually have a chance to appear in the story as well. When that happens, I'll send you a PM requesting permission to use your OC. Now onto the chapter.

First off, we meet Yuhiro's Ignis: Herald, who was sealed in Yuhiro's pendant following the attack on the Cyberse. As the story progresses, you'll see how Herald is similar to Yuhiro, but different at the same time. Ex. While Yuhiro is impulsive during a duel sometimes, Herald prefers to analyze the field before making the next logical move. His design was based off of Godspeed from DC Comics, only without the lightning bolts and the symbol.

We also meet the Watchman, the mysterious man who aided Yuhiro in his duel against Infearno. The reason why he did this was that as he said, a 'Crisis' was coming, and he needed his help. Unfortunately, this led to a duel between them, with Watchman easily defeating Yuhiro using his Cubic deck. This won't be his only duel as well, so stay tuned as to when his next duel will be. His design was based off of the Monitor from DC Comics, while his personality was based off of Ansem the Wise from Kingdom Hearts.

The last thing to happen was the build-up towards Chapter 8. After losing the duel, Watchman assigns Raguel to access SOL Technologies' databank for more information on the Lost Incident, and he provides a lead for him by directing him to Ghost Girl, who has the backdoor program. Following the duel between Playmaker and Ghost Girl, Raguel immediately challenges Ghost Girl to a duel, which is what will happen in Chapter 8.

Before I go onto reviews, I want to make an announcement. The reason why I took a bit longer was because final exams are coming up. This means that, for the next two weeks at best, I won't be able to update for a while. However, by December 13th, I'll be able to continue working on the story. Rest assured, I will not abandon this story. Not until it is finished!

Anyways, onto the reviews:

ZarcEternal: Thanks for the heads up. I actually forgot there were no Quick-Play Traps in Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm also glad that you enjoyed this chapter, as well as the direction I intend on taking it (hoped you enjoyed Progleo as well).

Savagemaster1999: You might be partially right. Regardless, I'm glad you appreciated the chapter.

And then the sky: Thanks very much for the honest review. I know that the first few starting chapters weren't the best, but I'm glad that you're willing to give this story a shot. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter as well.

HunterHQ: Chapter 6 was indeed fast-paced, as the goal was to show that Infearno was someone not to be trifled with. Also, his connection with his monsters is deeper than you think. I'm glad you loved the moment when Yuhiro met Progleo once again in the real world.

Lightning: Thanks very much. I have a feeling you'll like where this story is going.

Unknown: I'm glad you enjoyed reading the story so far. I put down the Card Gallery at the bottom after the chapter just to organize everything and make it neat. I might consider bolding OC cards as well, seeing that you were having trouble to find them. Unfortunately, I don't do trivia notes, but if you have questions about a card, please send me a PM. I'll be able to answer any questions you may have from there.

SSJ Shadow: Indeed. The mystery, the game, and the craziness continues my friend. Hope you enjoy Chapter 7.

Cobalt Striker Gundam: Thank you very much. I'll do my best to meet your expectations.

Anyways, that's all for now. Please let me know your honest comments, thoughts, opinions, and questions you may have. Thanks to your reviews, I'll be able to continue improving as a writer. See you in December!


	8. Chapter 8: An Old Reunion

**Chapter 8: An Old Reunion**

_Flashback: Two years ago..._

Roxy was at her favorite place. Café Crema. Usually, she'd go here to pick up a warm drink for herself and Yuhiro to toast another successful assignment in LINK VRAINS, but today was different. Earlier, she'd been contacted by Monty, who stated that it would be a good idea for her to meet his newest worker. She agreed to his request, mostly because Yuhiro was at school for the day, and besides, she needed time to kill.

"Miss Roxy. Your White Chocolate Mocha is ready, with chocolate curls as you requested." Roxy's mind soon went back to reality upon hearing her name.

She went forward to grab her drink from the curly-haired female bartender. "Thank you very much," she replied as she went back to her table. Now all Roxy had to do was wait for this mystery worker to arrive.

According to Monty's info, whoever this worker was, she had a success rate that was close to Raguel's. And one other. This was why he wanted them to get to know each other in LINK VRAINS. _As long as the workers are friendly with each other_, Roxy thought as she took a sip from her drink, _there's always the chance they could team up and rebel against the boss_. Yet she wondered: Why would Monty take that risk? It soon dawned on her: A job serious enough could one day come where Monty would need more than one person for it. She chuckled. When that day arrived, it would be a fun one.

Unfortunately, Roxy's thoughts were interrupted, as a man wearing a black shirt, a pair of blue jeans with black running shoes slammed the door open. The man had short brown hair, and his face was painted in a mask of fury.

"Out of my way!" the man shouted as people moved aside to let him pass. When Roxy turned around, it soon became evident to her that the man was going after the female bartender.

"Harriet," the man said, as he made his way to the desk with the 'Order Here' sign above it. "I told you that you were supposed to answer my calls." He soon grabbed Harriet by the biceps.

"And I told you that our relationship IS OVER TRAVIS!" Harriet replied, looking him into his eyes and making her point.

"No. It's not over. Our relationship is not over." Travis tightened his grip on Harriet's biceps. "You need to answer my calls. You do what I tell you to-."

"Excuse me, Travis!" Roxy said, loud enough so Travis could hear. "You heard the young lady. Whatever relationship you had with her was over. So leave her alone."

Travis soon walked over to where Roxy was sitting and slammed his hand on the table. "Now listen here, you little-." Before he could say anything else, Roxy grabbed his shoulders and slammed him down on the table, with enough force to break it.

He soon got right back up, now clearly pissed. "That's it, you little piece of-!" Travis threw two punches, both which Roxy clearly avoided before grabbing his right hand and twisting it.

"Rock!" Roxy said as she punched Travis in the gut and dug her fist into it, causing him to lean forward and hold his stomach. "Paper!" She soon karate chopped the right side of his neck using her left hand, causing Travis to fall down to another table and break it before falling to the ground once again.

Travis got up once again, which clearly showed he didn't learn his lesson yet. He charged forward with his left fist, only for her to evade the punch before poking him in the eyes using her index and middle finger on her right hand. "Scissors, bitch!" Roxy cried out, as Travis took a step back while covering his face. Roxy then kicked him in the body with enough force to push him back to a cabinet, causing glass cups to fall on his head and knock him out.

The whole crowd was speechless at what Roxy did to Travis until she broke the silence. "He's not dead, everyone. And someone call the cops." Unbeknownst to her, a young woman was watching her the entire time.

_Fifteen minutes later..._

The cops soon arrived to assess the situation, as well as Barbara, who took joy in arresting Travis herself, or as she called him, the 'asshole who thinks he's God.'

As Barbara saw the police car with Travis drive away to the police station, she said, "The fact scum like him still exists perplexes me to this day." Turning to Roxy, she continued: "I appreciate what you did. But you still caused some damage to Café Crema. You'll have to take responsibility for that."

Roxy rolled her eyes. "I'm aware, Barbara. Look, I'll have all damages paid for. Trust me on this. You have my word."

Barbara nodded. "I know. You always keep your word. For now, I think you should check on the new friend you made." She soon went to the other witnesses and started taking notes.

Roxy went over to Harriet, who was sitting down on the sidewalk near Café Crema, and sat down beside her. "Hey. Sorry for the damage I caused to the place. I promise I'll-."

To Roxy's surprise, Harriet hugged her, stopping her from speaking. "It doesn't matter," Harriet said. "What does matter is that you finally stopped him from hurting me all these years. Thank you so much." When Harriet pulled away from the embrace, Roxy noticed that there were tears of joy on her face. "I'll promise to pay you back. One way or another." She soon heard Barbara call her name, which caused her to stand up. "I guess I'll see you next time. And again, thanks."

After a minute, Roxy stood up and adjusted her glasses, clearly trying to process what happened.

"You know, that was some badass moves you got there, don't you think?" Roxy soon turned to her left to see a woman wearing a black and dark-violet motorcycle jumpsuit with a pink t-shirt and purple stripes going across her body, along with a black belt at the waistline, a black choker, black and purple boots, and fingerless gloves. The woman had fair skin, long pink hair with lavender bangs, and pink eyes, with reddish-pink lipstick as well.

"Uh, thanks?" Roxy replied as she scratched the back of her head. _Didn't expect someone to compliment my martial arts_, she thought. "Say, were you at Café Crema to get a drink as well? Before all... this happened?" she asked.

"Well, partially." The woman pulled out her phone. "I was told that I would be meeting someone here. At noon."

"You know, I was here for the exact same thing," Roxy replied, now pulling out her phone. "I'll tell you who I'm supposed to meet if you do the same thing."

"Deal!" the woman responded.

"Emma Beesho!"

"Roxanne Matsuo!"

This practically stunned them both for a few seconds before Roxy broke the silence. "Wait. You're the person Monty was talking about?"

"Well, yeah." The woman then extended her right hand out to Roxy. "My name is Emma Beesho. I'm guessing you're Roxanne Matsuo?"

"The one and only," Roxy replied, shaking Emma's hand with a smile. "I got a good feeling that we're going to be friends."

_Flashback End: Present Day... _

Roxy had the biggest smirk on her face as she watched Yuhiro, or Raguel as he was known in LINK VRAINS, catch Ghost Girl by surprise by forcing her into a duel using his Duel Anchor. This was just _perfect_. Now he can duel her for the backdoor program that Playmaker was so close to getting. And with that program, they would be one step closer in completing the task that Watchman gave them.

The only thing that bummed her out though was that they still had the assignment from Monty to capture Playmaker's Ignis. If Yuhiro didn't challenge Watchman to a duel, they wouldn't be in this mess to begin with. _At least that duel taught him humility_. _Hopefully_, Roxy thought, as she watched the monitors. _Kick her ass, Yuhiro._ _We'll deal with Playmaker once this mess is sorted out with_.

Meanwhile, in LINK VRAINS, Ghost Girl stared at the cord that was shot out, then lifted her gaze to Raguel. Raguel could tell that she was surprised, and a bit shocked that he came out of nowhere to challenge her to a duel.

Ghost Girl narrowed her eyes in response to what happened. "My, oh my," she said. "You certainly know how to surprise a girl, Raguel. Of all the people I expected to see, you were at the bottom of the list."

"Same goes for _you_, Ghost Girl," Raguel replied, as the Duel Anchor disappeared. "You know how this works. Unless you want to be stuck here, then you'll have to duel me. And if I defeat you, the backdoor program you were about to give Playmaker is given to me instead!"

"Hey!" Ai said, emerging from Playmaker's Duel Disk. "We won that program fair and square." He soon took a boxing stance. "You'll have to duel us for the program if you want it!"

Raguel turned to face Ai. "So you're the famous AI that everyone wants." He then looked at Playmaker. "And it's finally a pleasure to meet you Playmaker. But let's save the introductions. You already know me, and I know you. Our duel will come later."

"Duel?" Playmaker narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What duel are you talking about? Were you assigned to defeat me or something?"

"The truth is, I was," Raguel confirmed. "But rest assured, you aren't the target, but your _Ignis _is." Both Playmaker's and Ai's eyes widened in response to that. "And once my score with Ghost Girl is settled, you're up."

"Alright, Raguel." Raguel and Playmaker turned to Ghost Girl, who was speaking. "If you want a duel, then you'll have to catch me. Cause I call a Speed Duel." She soon started running towards the edge of the skyscraper, but before she could even make it close to the edge, she fell backwards, hitting her butt. "What the-? How?"

"Mrs. Ghost Girl, that was rather rude of what you just did, wouldn't you agree?" Herald said, as he emerged from Raguel's Duel Disk. When Ghost Girl stood up, her eyes widened in surprise, as Raguel somehow had an AI program similar to Playmaker's.

"How did you-?" But before Raguel could finish his question, Herald turned to him.

"I basically created a small force field and positioned it near her knees so that, once she ran into them, she would be pushed back. With a bit of oomph too." Herald explained.

"NO WAY!" Ai exclaimed. "White Ignis, is that you?"

When Herald turned around to identify who was speaking to him, his eyes widened in surprise. "Dark Ignis, can it be really you?"

At the same time, both Ignis's said, "I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!"

"You have an Ignis too, Raguel?" Playmaker asked. He looked down at Ai. "And you know this Ignis, Ai?"

"Of course!" Ai replied, with a smile on his face. "He's another of the Ignis, and we go way back-." But that was all Ai could say, as Herald soon interrupted him.

"'Ai'. That's your name, Dark Ignis? As in an AI? Or an eyeball for that matter? And last time I checked, I thought you turned into an eyeball during the Hanoi attack."

"Hey!" Ai interjected. "My name is a great name. In fact, I can make good jokes with-."

"Enough!" both Raguel and Playmaker said to Herald and Ai, silencing them.

"Ghost Girl," Raguel said. "So long as I have my partner here, I'm calling the shots. And I think we'll do a Master Duel for that backdoor program. Agreed?"

Ghost Girl sighed in defeat. "Alright Raguel. You got yourself a deal. But if I win," she pointed at Herald, "I get your AI program instead of Playmaker's. I guess you could say, this duel was a blessing in disguise, wouldn't you agree?"

Raguel couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Fine. I accept your terms." Herald was about to say something when Raguel told him, "Don't worry. I'll defeat her. After all, I dueled her before, and won."

"You better win!" Herald said, now turning around and facing Ghost Girl, "Cause if you lose, your new boss will not be happy with you."

Raguel and Ghost Girl both activated their Duel Disks. "Just like last time, wouldn't _you_ agree?"

Ghost Girl couldn't help but smirk behind her mask. "Yeah. But that was a different time. This time, I'm much stronger, so you better not hold anything back!"

"Duel!" both duelists cried out.

**Raguel: 4000 LP **

**Ghost Girl: 4000 LP**

"Ladies first!" Ghost Girl immediately said, as she looked at her starting hand. _Not too shabby_, she thought. "I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Altergeist Oasis!" The card showed a digital oasis, with several Altergeist monsters playing and enjoying their time together. "Once per turn, at the beginning of my turn, I can skip my Draw Phase, and in exchange, I can add 1 'Altergeist' Trap card from my deck to my hand. Next, I summon Altergeist Marionetter!" A female humanoid monster with a round green apparatus attached to her waist appeared, giggling as she did so.

**Altergeist Marionetter ATK: 1600 DEF: 1700 LVL: 4**

"Marionetter's effect! As it was Normal Summoned, I can Set an 'Altergeist' Trap card from my deck. I know, this one!" Using Marionetter's effect, Ghost Girl Set Altergeist Protocol, which appeared on her field as a Set card.

"I'll Set another card face-down. And end my turn." Ghost Girl concluded. "Good luck getting passed this, Raguel."

"Just watch me!" Raguel replied as he drew a card from his deck. "I draw! I activate the Field Spell card, Cyreath Grand Hall! Now all 'Cyreath' monsters I control gain 200 attack points! From there, I summon Cyreath Barbarian!" A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Cyreath Grand Hall's effect activates!"

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 + 200 = 1700**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal soon appeared above Raguel. "The summoning condition is 1 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Barbarian in the Link Marker!" Barbarian went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"The effect's of both Cyreath Barbarian and Cyreath Grand Hall activate!" Raguel continued. "As Cyreath Barbarian was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned Monster that used it as material gains 500 attack points, while Cyreath Grand Hall gives it 200 more attack points!

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 + 500 + 200 = 1700**

"Scorpius' effect! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Barbarian!"

Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Barbarian grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 + 200 = 1700**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel once again said, as a second Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are 2 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Scorpius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Barbarian, in the Link Markers!" Barbarian went into the top arrowhead, while Scorpius went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Ogre Bowler!" A blue, muscular humanoid wearing a loincloth bound around its lower waist with rope appeared on Raguel's field. Its ears were pointed, and had red eyes. It also carried a massive boulder on its right arm as well.

**Cyreath Ogre Bowler ATK: 1700 LINK-2** ⬇️⬆️

"Cyreath Barbarian and Cyreath Grand Hall's effects both activate!"

**Cyreath Ogre Bowler ATK: 1700 + 500 + 200 = 2400**

"I activate Cyreath Ogre Bowler's effect!" Raguel said. "When this monster is Link Summoned, I can destroy cards that are in the same column as this card. However, it cannot attack for the rest of this turn. And according to the field," Raguel said, as he pointed to Ghost Girl's face-down card, "there is one face-down card that's in the same column as Ogre Bowler. Which means it's flattened! Grand Squash!" Ogre Bowler rolled the boulder forward, all the way to Ghost Girl's face-down card, which flattened the card and turned it into particles.

"I see," Herald said. "You're for once deciding to be cautious."

"In this scenario, Herald," Raguel replied, "I don't have a choice. Ghost Girl always has tricks up her sleeve, especially when it comes to her Altergeist monsters." Going back to the duel, he said, "I Set two cards face down and end my turn."

"Then it's my turn!" Ghost Girl said. "Instead of drawing a card, I activate Altergeist Oasis to add 1 'Altergeist' Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Using the effect of Altergeist Oasis, Ghost Girl added Altergeist Manifestation from her deck to her hand.

"I activate the Continuous-Trap card, Altergeist Protocol! Now the activation and effects of 'Altergeist' cards activated on my field cannot be negated!" Raguel gritted his teeth in response. "Next, I activate the effect of Altergeist Multifaker from my hand! Since I activated a Trap card, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A pink and purple female humanoid monster with six bent golden legs joined her Altergeist sister on Ghost Girl's field.

**Altergeist Multifaker ATK: 1200 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

"Multifaker has an additional effect! When it's Special Summoned, I can Special Summon an 'Altergeist' monster from my deck in defense position! Come, Altergeist Meluseek!" A dark purple female mermaid monster also appeared on Ghost Girl's field.

**Altergeist Meluseek ATK: 500 DEF: 300 LVL: 1**

"Open before me! The circuit that connects to the unknown parallel universe!" Ghost Girl declared, as a Link Portal appeared above her. "The summoning conditions are two 'Altergeist' monsters. I set Altergeist Meluseek and Altergeist Multifaker in the Link Markers!" Multifaker went into the bottom arrowhead, while Meluseek went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come forth! Link 2! Altergeist Hextia!" A dark brown and gold skinned female monster with six legs and a large tail emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Altergeist Hextia ATK: 1500 LINK-2** ➡️⬇️

"Crap. She Link Summoned." Raguel muttered under her breath. _At least it wasn't her ace monster_, he thought.

"Meluseek's effect!" Ghost Girl said. "As it was sent to the Graveyard, I can add any 'Altergeist' monster from my deck to my hand!" Using Meluseek's effect, Ghost Girl added Altergeist Kunquery from her deck to her hand.

"Did I forget to mention Altergeist Hextia's effect? In case you forgot, it gains the original attack points equal to the 'Altergeist' monsters it points to! Since it's pointed to Marionetter, Hextia gains 1600 attack points!" Ghost Girl added.

**Altergeist Hextia ATK: 1500 + 1600 = 3100**

"Okay. I think we're in trouble," Herald said, slightly worried.

"Don't worry, I got this!" Raguel replied. He then gestured to one of his face-down cards. "Continuous-Trap card activate! Cyreath Provocation! All your monsters gain 100 attack points, Ghost Girl, but they must attack!"

"I'm sensing a major 'but' here to your generous gift." Ghost Girl replied.

Raguel sighed upon hearing Ghost Girl's reply. This definitely wasn't what he expected. "Of course there's a major 'but'. Monsters that don't attack when this card is activated have their effects negated, and cannot be used to Link Summon." As if on cue, Cyreath Provocation blasted a red light at Hextia and Marionetter, making them angry. Very angry.

**Altergeist Hextia ATK: 3100 + 100 = 3200**

**Altergeist Marionetter ATK: 1600 + 100 = 1700**

"If you want me to attack so bad, then it'll be rude for me to not oblige!" Ghost Girl thrusted out her right hand. "Battle! Altergeist Hextia attacks Cyreath Ogre Bowler! Sneaky Shot of Fire!" Hextia fired a blast of golden energy at Ogre Bowler, with the intent to kill. However...

"Trap card, activate!" Raguel said. "Cyreath Counter-Shuffle!" The card showed Cymyth Hercules throwing a counter after avoiding a punch from Cyreath Cyclops. "This card not only negates the attack from Altergeist Hextia, but sends it right back to the Extra Deck! Do it Ogre Bowler!" Ogre Bowler avoided the blast of golden energy and attempted to counterattack when...

"I activate Hextia's effect!" Ghost Girl interjected. "By tributing an 'Altergeist' monster it points to, in this case, Marionetter, I can negate the activation of 1 Spell or Trap card and destroy it!" Marionetter vanished into particles and turned into a ball of green energy, which Hextia threw at Cyreath Counter-Shuffle, thus destroying it. "However, Hextia loses its attack boost."

**Altergeist Hextia ATK: 3200 – 1600 = 1600**

"And that means your monster is-," Raguel was about to conclude when...

"HEY HEY HEY! It's rude to interrupt a lady!" Ghost Girl suddenly said. "I wasn't finished! I activate the effect of Altergeist Camouflage from my Graveyard. If an 'Altergeist' monster I control would be destroyed by battle or card effect, I can banish it instead!"

Ogre Bowler socked Hextia in the face with his left fist and pushed the female monster back to Ghost Girl's field. However, she was still standing, although with a bruise on her face.

**Ghost Girl: 4000 – 800 = 3200 LP**

"Due to the situation at hand, I guess the only thing I can do is Set one card face down. And end my turn." Ghost Girl concluded.

"Who do you think has a chance of winning?" Ai asked Playmaker, who was watching the duel.

"The duel can go either way. From what I've seen on Raguel's duels, he focuses on Link Summoning and recovering his resources. Ghost Girl, on the other hand, focuses on sealing her opponent's moves in order to make the duel easier on herself. It can go either way." Playmaker replied. "Why exactly do you ask?"

"Well, it's just that I don't want a fellow Ignis like me to lose a duel." Ai replied. This caused Playmaker to roll his eyes in response.

"It's my turn! I draw!" Raguel said. "I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Treasure from my hand! By discarding a 'Cyreath' monster, I can draw two cards from my deck!" Raguel discarded Cyreath Wandering Soul and drew two cards from the top of his deck.

"I'll then banish Cyreath Wandering Soul from my Graveyard to use its effect! By banishing it, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Cyreath Grand Hall's effect!"

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 + 200 = 200**

"Next, I summon Cyreath Miner!" A small, male wearing mining gear and carrying mining equipment soon appeared on the field.

**Cyreath Miner ATK: 0 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3 **

**Cyreath Miner ATK: 0 + 200 = 200 **

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath monsters! I'll set the Cyreath Wandering Soul token and Cyreath Miner in the Link Markers!" Miner entered the left arrowhead, while the Wanderer token entered the left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Gallop into battle! Link 2! Cyreath Pegasus!" A majestic black horse with wings flew onto Raguel's field and was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Ogre Bowler was pointing to.

**Cyreath Pegasus ATK: 1200 LINK-2** ⬅️➡️

**Cyreath Pegasus ATK: 1200 + 200 = 1400**

"Miner's effect! As it was used to Link Summon, I can add a 'Cyreath' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Raguel declared, as he added Cyreath Launch from his deck to his hand.

"Next, I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Ascension! I can target 1 Link Monster I control and Special Summon 'Cyreath' monsters from my Graveyard to Main Monster Zones that Link Monster points to, in exchange for negating their effects! I target Cyreath Pegasus, and using this card, I'll bring back Cyreath Miner and Cyreath Barbarian!" The miner and barbarian soon returned to Raguel's field, only in the left and right Main Monster Zones Pegasus was pointing to.

**Cyreath Miner ATK: 0 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3 **

**Cyreath Miner ATK: 0 + 200 = 200 **

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 + 200 = 1700**

"Appear, for a second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" As soon as Raguel said that, a second Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Pegasus, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Miner in the Link Markers!" Pegasus split into two whirlwinds and entered the top and bottom arrowheads, while Miner entered the bottom-left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 3! Cyreath Grand Warden!" A scholar with purple hair and a bead wearing purple robes tied together by a purple belt joined Raguel's field as it was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Ogre Bowler was pointing to. In his hands were a scepter and a book.

**Cyreath Grand Warden ATK: 2100 LINK-3** ⬆️↙️⬇️

**Cyreath Grand Warden ATK: 2100 + 200 = 2300**

"Interesting." Herald said as he saw Grand Warden on the field. "We could have summoned Cyreath Hercules to help us out. Yet why go with this monster?"

"Hercules wouldn't have helped us out Herald." Raguel replied. "Like I told you before, we have to be cautious during this duel. And in case Ghost Girl destroys our monsters by card effect, Grand Warden can turn it into an advantage for us." Going back to the duel, he said, "I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Cyreath Launch! This turn, one 'Cyreath' monster I control can attack you directly, in exchange for other monsters not being able to attack this turn. And the monster I choose is Cyreath Ogre Bowler!" Ogre Bowler roared upon hearing his name being called.

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Ogre Bowler attacks you directly Ghost Girl!" Ogre Bowler grabbed the boulder it was carrying with two hands and threw it at Ghost Girl. But...

"I activate the effect of Altergeist Kunquery from my hand!" Ghost Girl suddenly said. "If you declare an attack and I control an 'Altergeist' card, I can Special Summon this card from my hand and negate the attack!" A white female centaur-like monster soon appeared on Ghost Girl's field and slammed the boulder down to the ground to block the attack. She had a long red tail, with a golden spiked saddle, golden cuffs, a golden horn, and several wired strands with gold tips at the back of her head.

**Altergeist Kunquery ATK: 0 DEF: 2400 LVL: 5**

"And before you tell me," Ghost Girl continued, "I'm already aware. Cyreath Provocation gives my monster an additional 100 attack points."

**Altergeist Kunquery ATK: 0 + 100 = 100**

"In addition," Ghost Girl said, "when Altergeist Kunquery is Special Summoned, I can target 1 face up card you control and negate its effects while it and this monster is on the field. I choose Cyreath Grand Warden!" Kunquery fired a blast from her golden horn at Grand Warden, draining him of his effects.

_Damn it_, Raguel thought. _That was the card Ghost Girl added to her hand using Meluseek's effect. I'm such a fool for falling for that trick_. Knowing there was nothing else he could do, he said, "I Set one card face down. And end my turn." He then smirked. "You know Ghost Girl. While I expected you to survive this turn, I didn't expect you to use that card on me. I can tell you definitely got stronger."

"The same with you Raguel," Ghost Girl replied. "I must admit, I saw your duels against that Knight of Hanoi, Go Onizuka, and Blue Angel. And honestly, the way you caught Blue Angel at the very end. Definitely shows that you got a soft spot, wouldn't you agree?"

Raguel's jaw dropped upon hearing that last sentence. She saw all his duels? And didn't interfere with his work? Even after what happened last year? He soon smiled. "You know, it's a shame really. That we're no longer friends. Yet we're interacting as though it never happened."

"Yeah. Unfortunately," Ghost Girl responded. However, she wasn't fully sure if she believed what she said. Was she glad they stopped being friends? Or did she miss those fun times with Raguel and-?

"Wait. WHAT?" Ai suddenly interjected, causing the two duelists and Herald to turn to him. "You two were friends? What happened that caused you two to stop the friendship?"

For once, Playmaker didn't scold Ai, as he too was curious about what happened between Raguel and Ghost Girl. "Raguel, what exactly happened between you and Ghost Girl?"

Raguel turned to Ghost Girl and asked, "Do you mind if I tell him?" When she nodded, he turned back to Playmaker. "It was a year ago, and both Ghost Girl and I had a top-secret assignment. However, we were joined by another..."

_Flashback: One year earlier..._

Raguel was on a ledge of a quarry, using high-tech binoculars to observe the building that was miles ahead of him. _So. This was the place Monty was talking about_, Raguel thought. Landios Confederation.

"You getting this, Roxy?" Raguel asked.

"Yup. The binoculars we got from the black market were totally worth the sale." Roxy replied. "And it will be worth even more once this assignment is complete."

"That's something we can-." He soon heard footsteps. "Hold on," he soon told Roxy. He turned around very slowly to make the unknown assailant think he wasn't paying attention. Once the assailant came close, Raguel turned around and immediately pulled out his double-barreled gun on them.

"I recognized your footsteps, Ghost Girl," Raguel said, identifying the assailant as none other than Ghost Girl with a smirk on his face. He put his gun away after making sure no one else followed him.

"Then I guess those stakeout assignments were worth it after all," Ghost Girl replied, as she walked over to stand beside Raguel. "You mind?" Raguel then handed her the high-tech binoculars, who soon used them to identify the building ahead of them. "This is their headquarters, correct?"

"The headquarters of the one and only Landios Confederation? Yup. I made sure. After all, I double-checked the information Monty sent us about the place. If it's reputation is indeed what Monty says it to be, our assignment is for sure going to be a tricky one."

According to the information Monty sent Raguel and Ghost Girl, Landios Confederation is a crime syndicate consisting of several gangs who joined forces to establish a presence in LINK VRAINS. While they engaged in secondary activities in LINK VRAINS black market, they were sometimes willing to conduct operations in the general area as well. As a result, a few days ago, the Confederation managed to kidnap a well-known man known on the black market as Hector Marino. If they succeeded in making Hector relinquish his control over his weapons business, they'd be able to take over the black market by force.

Therefore, Monty immediately activated Operation: Extraction, and assigned Raguel and Ghost Girl to rescue Hector. He was even willing to provide them information on the Landios Confederation's headquarters, as well as pay them a hefty sum if they succeeded.

"The place is too far away from here," Raguel said to Ghost Girl, as she handed him the binoculars back. "We'll need to get close without being spotted."

"I brought my camouflage program with me. It should work for the two of us." Ghost Girl replied. "Unfortunately, by the time we get there, it'll deactivate. Which means our stealth plan is as good as dust."

"And that's the reason why both of you are amateurs. You aren't willing to cross the line to get the job done." Both Raguel and Ghost Girl turned behind them to see a male individual standing on the ledge above them. His attire was in purple with a green-purple hat, red and blue mask with pink eyes, purple cape, black coat, a blue shirt with green accents, black pants and boots with red sole and yellow star. While he had a black glove on his left hand, he had a prosthetic right arm, with the attributes of a six shooter gun. "The fact that there's more than one mercenary for this assignment clearly pisses me off." The male soon jumped down to the ledge Raguel and Ghost Girl were on.

"Who are you calling an amateur, asshole?" Raguel angrily said, as he took several steps forward so he could face the masked man directly.

"Boy. I'd get out of my personal space if I were you." The man soon shoved Raguel back with his prosthetic arm. "Unless you want things to get really messy, that is." His arm soon began charging up, causing Raguel to reach for his sword when…

"Whoa there!" Ghost Girl went in between Raguel and the masked man, preventing the two from starting a fight. "I believe you two haven't met. Raguel, this is Blood Shepherd. Blood Shepherd, this is Raguel."

"Blood Shepherd? You're _him_?" Raguel asked the masked man, who nodded in confirmation. From what Raguel heard about Blood Shepherd, he was one of the most dangerous bounty hunters in LINK VRAINS due to him being relentless in his hunts, as well as being very intelligent in hacking and dueling. There were also rumors that he worked in the military, where he interrogated rogue AI's. Ultimately, everyone agreed on one thing: that Blood Shepherd was a man willing to do anything to complete his goal, no matter how horrible it was.

"Listen, kid. I'll only tell this to you once." Blood Shepherd said as he got close to Raguel, so his face was a few inches from his. "Get in my way, and I'll make sure you suffer before I end you. Understand?" Raguel narrowed his eyes in response, in order to not give any satisfaction to Blood Shepherd that he scared him. "Good. You'll both need this." He gave two batons with blue highlights; one for Raguel, and one for Ghost Girl. "I'll see you at the front door."

Blood Shepherd soon ran off, jumped forward, and pressed the buttons on each side of the baton. Immediately, out of nowhere, a motorcycle was generated. And Blood Shepherd leaned forward, causing the motorcycle to go faster.

"WHOA!" Raguel said in awe. "What are those?"

"They're known as Digi-cycles," Ghost Girl said. "And we better catch up with him before he gets away." She started running.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Raguel immediately said. Both him and Ghost Girl jumped, activated their Digi-cycles, and sped off to catch up to Blood Shepherd.

"Okay, now these things are fast!" Raguel said. "At this rate, we'll-."

"FREEZE!" Soon, the trio turned around to see four patrollers riding Digi-Cycles behind them as well. _Damn it_, Raguel thought. _That camouflage program would have been useful_. "On the authority of the Landios Confederation, you three are coming with us! Pull over now or we'll respond with force!"

Blood Shepherd responded by turning around and firing a blast from his prosthetic arm, which narrowly hit one of the patrollers. Upon seeing this, one of the patroller's said, "Open fire!" At that command, the others started firing the blaster cannons on their Digi-Cycles, causing Raguel, Ghost Girl and Blood Shepherd to dodge the oncoming fire.

"If I had time to improve my camouflage program, we wouldn't be in this mess!" Ghost Girl told Blood Shepherd. "And sometimes, a stealth approach works, Blood Shepherd."

"Allow me to show you both why I'm considered the most dangerous bounty hunter in LINK VRAINS." Blood Shepherd responded. He soon slowed down on his Digi-Cycle so he could be sandwiched in the middle of two of the patrollers. The patroller on the right tried to lean forward and punch him, but Blood Shepherd easily avoided the punch and grabbed his face using his prosthetic arm before firing a blast from it; causing the patroller to fall of his Digi-Cycle.

The other patroller tried to side-ram Blood Shepherd's Digi-Cycle, but Blood Shepherd responded back by doing the exact same thing, only with more force. This caused the patroller to momentarily lose control of their Digi-Cycle before regaining control of it.

Seizing the opportunity, Blood Shepherd performed a massive drift, which enabled him to get behind the patroller. By the time the patroller realized he was behind him, his fate was sealed.

"Goodbye." Blood Shepherd fired the blaster cannons on his Digi-Cycle, which incinerated the patroller in front of him into particles. He soon rode off from the explosion to catch up to Raguel and Ghost Girl.

Meanwhile, a patroller rode their Digi-Cycle so they could be parallel to Raguel. They tried to lean forward and punch him, but Raguel dodged the punch and side-rammed their Digi-Cycle, causing the patroller to spin out of control and get destroyed alongside the Digi-Cycle.

"Okay, that was close." Raguel said. He soon turned to his left, where he saw Ghost Girl narrowly dodging blaster cannon fire from the patroller behind her. He pulled out his gun, aimed, and fired a few shots at the patroller's Digi-Cycle, making the patroller weave to avoid the shots.

This gave Ghost Girl the opportunity to release a swarm of bright dots from her Duel Disk, which soon went towards the patroller and overwhelmed him, eating up his program before he could utter a single word.

"Thanks for the assist," Ghost Girl said, as she rode parallel besides Raguel. "Although I didn't ask for it."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Raguel replied. "But where's-?" Before he could finish his question, Blood Shepherd caught up with the duo. "Never mind."

_Ten minutes later..._

The trio eventually made it to the main headquarters of Landios Confederation, which was in a quarry. Unfortunately for them, there were several troops patrolling the front entrance, and there were more inside even if they did manage to sneak through said entrance.

"We could enter through that tunnel," Raguel said, as he used the binoculars to observe exactly how many troops patrolling the front entrance. "But a full frontal assault would be-."

"Bloody." Ghost Girl finished for him. "Needlessly dangerous as well." She then motioned for Raguel to hand her the binoculars, which he did. After a minute, she found something. "Well. There is a less unpopulated area, with only up to three guards. One for each of us. Once we get rid of them, we can use the camouflage program to sneak in and find Hector."

"And what about the rest of your plan?" Blood Shepherd asked them. "Once we get inside and rescue Hector, there'll be a lot of troops in there to stop us. So unless you got a plan to escape, then-."

"We'll figure that out once were inside." Raguel interrupted him. "At best, we got 12% of the escape portion already figured out. Come on, cowboy. Be more supporting." He jumped down to the ground, alongside Ghost Girl.

"Do _not_ call me cowboy," Blood Shepherd growled, as he too jumped to the ground and followed them to the less populated area. Once they were close to the guards, they eliminated them with ease, with each one knocked out as a result.

As they ran inside, Ghost Girl said, "Activating camouflage program in 3, 2, 1!" The trio immediately turned invisible, which let them further sneak deeper inside the headquarters.

Eventually, they reached the control room, which of course was guarded by a lot of troops. Blood Shepherd was about to blast them when Ghost Girl told him, "Remember. We're doing this stealthily." Blood Shepherd relented and lowered his prosthetic arm before raising it right back up again and firing at the guards, knocking them out.

"What did you do?" Ghost Girl demanded from him, as she inspected the troops, who were unconscious.

"I changed the setting to _stun_, not _kill_." Blood Shepherd coldly said to Ghost Girl. "Get them out of sight. I'll find where Hector is." He entered the control room, thus putting Ghost Girl and Raguel on clean-up duty.

"Sheesh. What's with Blood Shepherd?" Raguel whispered Ghost Girl, as they moved the unconscious bodies to the closet that was coincidently nearby the control room.

"Blood Shepherd is the type of guy you do not want hunting you down," Ghost Girl whispered back. "From personal experience, he'll use anyone and anything to achieve his goal. He'll even lie as well."

"I didn't know you worked with him before," was all Raguel could say in response. Once they were finished with the unconscious bodies, they ran back to the control room, where they saw Blood Shepherd hacking into the central database.

"Anything yet?" Raguel asked him, as Blood Shepherd pressed a button on his prosthetic right arm, releasing the cords plugged into the center database.

"Yeah. I found where Hector is, but you're not going to like it."

"Stop keeping us in suspense and tell us already," Ghost Girl said.

Blood Shepherd let out a snort before speaking. "Fine. He's on the top floor, not in the detention block." This caused both Raguel and Ghost Girl to widen their eyes in shock. "I'll see you at the elevators." He ran off, once again, with the other two following after him. Unbeknownst to Raguel, though, Ghost Girl pressed a button before following them.

Unfortunately, by the time they reached the elevators, the camouflage programs wore off. Blood Shepherd didn't even get the chance to curse before the alarm started blaring.

"Quick! Into the elevator!" Raguel shouted, motioning for Ghost Girl and Blood Shepherd to the elevator while he pulled out his gun and sealed the entrances to the elevators closed. He then entered the elevator alongside the others and pushed the 10th floor button, causing the elevator to go up.

"Guess those programs didn't help as much as I wanted," Raguel commented. "We're lucky we made it this far anyway."

"Excuse me?" Ghost Girl said, turning to Raguel. "The camouflage program helped get us inside the base, and if it weren't for that, we would've-!" Their conversation was interrupted, however, when the elevator abruptly stopped just one floor below the 10th. "The hell happened?"

"They're trying to stop us from reaching the 10th floor," Blood Shepherd answered her. Turning towards Raguel, he said, "That sword you have. Cut the top of the elevator shaft, and we can get to the 10th floor."

Raguel had no choice but to do what Blood Shepherd said, as not only was it the most logical decision, they didn't have any other options at the moment. He pulled out his sword and stabbed it upward on the elevator's ceiling. He then twisted the sword's handle several times, heating it up, which let Raguel cut a hole open at the top of the elevator.

With the top of the elevator now open, the trio activated their Duel Anchors, letting them reach the door to the 10th floor. As soon as they entered the 10th floor, all they could see was a massive room. And other than them, there were only two people in the room, with one of them restrained in a hover chair.

"Ah. So they sent you to rescue Mr. Marino." The male who said that turned around, along with the man in the hover chair, who was identified as Hector Marino. The male wore a sandy light-brown jacket, with a black buttoned-up shirt underneath it, as well as a pair of jeans, black shoes, and a belt. He had short, combed brown hair, with pale light-green eyes.

Hector Marino, on the other hand, wore a simple orange prison jumpsuit. He had no hair and a white beard, as well as a few bruises on his face.

"You know, it's hopeless for the three of you," the male continued. "Blood Shepherd. Ghost Girl. And Raguel. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm-."

"Senor Marcos." Raguel concluded for him. "The head of the Landios Confederation. You're outnumbered three to one, douchebag! So if I were you," he said as he pulled out his gun, "I'd release Hector right now."

"Is that so?" Marcos snapped his fingers, and as if on command, several troops came rushing to his side.

"You just had to say that," Blood Shepherd seethed at Raguel as he charged up his prosthetic arm.

"This is what's going to happen if you want him to live." Marcos said as he grabbed a knife and pressed it to Hector's throat. "I want three things from you. One: You will drop your weapons. Or in the case for you, Blood Shepherd, you'll disarm your arm immediately. Two: Your decks will be turned over to us. While you'll eventually get them back, I wish to strengthen our armies first if Landios Confederation is to take over the underbelly of LINK VRAINS. Three: Your allegiance. You must swear your allegiance to me, or else Mr. Marino will be killed." Marcos then pressed the blade further onto Hector's throat, causing a red gash to appear.

"On the contrary, _you_ have until the count of three to release Hector," Blood Shepherd boldly warned Marcos.

"WHAT?" both Ghost Girl and Raguel said, with Ghost Girl adding, "If you're going to do what I think you're planning, then-."

"SHUT UP!" Blood Shepherd warned her. He then snapped his fingers. "One."

"You're bluffing." Marcos replied, trying to remain calm.

"Blood Shepherd..." Raguel was about to say, when...

"Two." Blood Shepherd snapped his fingers again.

"I'm ordering to cease this stunt! I'm in control here!" Marcos said, now starting to panic.

"Get ready, Raguel." Ghost Girl warned Raguel.

"Three!" After snapping his fingers for a third time, Blood Shepherd changed the setting on his prosthetic arm to explosive and shot volatile blasts from it, causing the troops and Marcos to take cover behind whatever they could find. Turning to Raguel and Ghost Girl, he said, "Well what are you waiting for? I'll cover you! Find him!"

Knowing what to do, Raguel headed for Hector while shooting several troops along the way. He also had to roll to avoid getting shot from a nearby troop. Finding the individual who did this, Raguel activated his Duel Anchor and reeled him in before slashing him upwards. As he avoided the blaster fire from the other troopers, he revved his sword up, causing it to heat up. He then charged forward and slashed them in two.

Ghost Girl, meanwhile, avoided blaster fire as she threw two small electric discs at the troopers, electrocuting and knocking them out. One of the troopers pulled out a baton and attempted to hit her, but she easily blocked the attack before striking the trooper across the neck to knock him out. _Not a bad weapon_, she thought, as she picked up the gun on the trooper's belt. Seeing Marcos attempt to escape with some troops, Ghost Girl aimed her gun and fired a few shots at them, easily eliminating the troops. She also fired at Marcos' leg, causing him to fall over. Before he could reach the door, he could feel a blaster touch the back of his head.

"Get up," Ghost Girl told him. "You're going to take me somewhere _important_."

By the time Raguel reached to Hector, he cut threw a dozen or so troops, with a sword that was pretty much on fire. "Mr. Hector Marino," Raguel said, as he disabled the cuffs on Hector's chair, "my name is Raguel, and Monty sends his regards."

"Monty sent you, huh?" Hector said, getting up from the chair. "Of all the things to expect from him, I didn't expect him to-."

"Don't move." Raguel and Hector turned around to see two troopers point blasters at them. Just as Hector was about to surrender, both troopers were incinerated by none other than Blood Shepherd.

"You need to keep your guard up at all times," Blood Shepherd chastised Raguel, as he dropped down from the balcony and approached him. "Otherwise, you might as well be finished."

"Blood Shepherd?" Hector backed away, scared of the masked man.

"Relax, Hector." Raguel said, trying to calm Hector down. "Blood Shepherd is here to rescue you, as well as-." It then dawned on Raguel. "Where's Ghost Girl?"

"I saw Marcos take her to a door over there," Hector said, pointing to a door to his right. "If anything, she might be after the data in the-."

Suddenly, an alarm blared out, followed by a voice saying, "Warning. Self-destruct in T-Minus: 5 minutes."

"Okay. We're getting out of here," Raguel said, as he and the others headed for the door. He turned to Hector as they were running and asked, "Do you remember exactly the way out of here?"

"I... I think so," Hector replied. "There's an emergency elevator that will take us to the first floor directly."

"Then that's where we're going," Blood Shepherd interjected. Luckily for them, by the time they reached the elevator, it was still working. "Get in the elevator!" He shoved Hector in before going in himself. "What are you waiting for, Raguel?"

Raguel turned around, and noticed a trail of blood in the other direction. "I need to find Ghost Girl."

"Forget her, we have to GET OUT NOW!"

"I can't just abandon her!" Raguel replied. And he started running in the direction of the trail of blood.

"Idiot." Blood Shepherd whispered before pressing the red button, causing him to leave with Hector on the elevator.

_Come on, Ghost Girl. Where are you_, Raguel thought as he followed the trail of blood. He was shocked when he found where it ended: Senor Marcos was found dead in a pool of his own blood! And it was near the only place that could deter Ghost Girl from the mission.

"Damn it, Ghost Girl!" Raguel muttered as he entered the central database. Sure enough, he found her, where she was in the middle of downloading data into several USB's. "What are you doing here, Ghost Girl?" he called out to her. "The whole place is about to blow real soon!"

"Raguel!" Ghost Girl turned her head to face him. "I didn't expect you to be here. What are you-?"

"Don't play dumb with me." Raguel interrupted her. "I know the real reason why you even agreed to come here. Yet I need to know: Why abandon the mission?"

"I didn't-!" Ghost Girl sighed before continuing. "The truth is this: I was hired by someone else to steal the data from Landios, and then destroy their headquarters. Not only did I activate the self-destruction program, I also activated the program detection cameras in the building as well."

This shocked Raguel completely. Of course. It all made sense now. Ghost Girl's camouflage program usually lasted long enough to complete a mission. She activated the cameras on purpose in order to draw Marcos out and kill him. His face soon looked like a mixture between fury and sadness. "You... How could you...?"

"Raguel, I'm-."

"Warning: Self-Destruct in T-Minus: 2 minutes."

Both Raguel and Ghost Girl noticed the voice announcing the countdown to their demise. Suddenly, several debris started to fall on the central database, causing Ghost Girl to grab the USB's and use her Duel Anchor to reach to the bridge closest from her, which was further away from Raguel.

Raguel looked downcast as the debris fell around him, his face still showing anger and sadness. "Get out of here."

"Raguel, please listen to-!"

"I SAID GET OUT OF HERE!" Raguel snapped at her. Realizing what he did, he turned around and started running for the emergency elevator, with tears in his eyes. What he didn't know was that Ghost Girl called out his name as he left.

He managed to enter the emergency elevator and escape from the headquarters before his path back to the database was blocked. And by the time Raguel escaped from the headquarters, the main base of Landios Confederation collapsed inwards of itself.

After Raguel was some distance away from the now destroyed headquarters, he called Roxy and told her everything of what happened, including of Ghost Girl betraying him and Blood Shepherd. Roxy was shocked at what happened but agreed that they would speak in the real world, as Raguel needed some time alone to process what happened.

Raguel sat down on the ground and started crying. Crying on the fact that someone whom he called a friend not only betrayed him, but completely stabbed in the back as well.

"Well, I hope you learned a lesson here today, Raguel."

As soon as Raguel turned around to figure out who was speaking to him, he was shocked to see Blood Shepherd standing just above him.

"When compared to one's mission, personal feelings are completely irrelevant. In order for you to survive, you must be willing to cast aside what makes you human. Only by doing this will you-."

"What would you know," Raguel said as he stood up, "about how I feel? YOU DON'T KNOW A THING ABOUT ME!" He soon pulled out his sword and charged at Blood Shepherd, only for the masked hunter to gut punch him with enough force to make him lean drop to the ground on one knee while holding his stomach.

Blood Shepherd immediately charged up his prosthetic arm, preparing to fire at Raguel. "Any last words?"

"Just finish it already," Raguel spat out, as he looked at Blood Shepherd. He wouldn't close his eyes, for it would indicate that he accepted his fate. However, to Raguel's surprise, Blood Shepherd lowered his prosthetic arm and turned around from him.

"In the state you're in, it's not worth finishing you off," Blood Shepherd said. He then turned his head to Raguel. "If we do cross paths next time, I expect you to be stronger. Much stronger if you're to survive in this world. Until then." He soon logged out, leaving Raguel in shock as he did so.

_Flashback End: Present Day..._

"What you did, Ghost Girl. You didn't just betray me. You betrayed Roxy as well," Raguel told her. "And the worst part of it was the aftermath."

"The aftermath? What do you mean?" Herald asked, turning to face Raguel.

"After the fiasco, Roxy went to confront Ghost Girl about what happened. It soon turned into an argument, which led to them breaking off their friendship," Raguel told Herald.

"Hey! I never wanted to lose my friendship with Roxy!" Ghost Girl countered. "I tried explaining my side of the story to her, but she took the wrong side."

Upon hearing this, Raguel completely snapped. "Don't you ever say that to me! You didn't know her as long as I did! Nor did you know what she lost before the both of you met! You even know why I'm doing this in the first place?" Soon, there were tears in his eyes. "I don't do this for the money, or the glory. I'm doing this because... because I want to save Roxy's niece from what she's been going through ever since that day."

"That day?" Playmaker muttered. "Raguel, you don't mean-."

"Yeah, I do," Raguel responded to Playmaker, causing him to widen his eyes in shock. He turned to Ghost Girl and resumed speaking. "Ever since that day, she's been through nothing but hell. Just when she could escape that hell, she lost both her parents, causing her to go into a coma. One of her parents who died that day was Roxy's sister. I'm fighting so that Roxy's niece can wake up from her nightmare. Smile. And be with Roxy again," he finished.

Roxy, who was watching Raguel tell the story in the backroom of Café Matsuo, felt anger and sadness. Sadness at what happened, as well as anger at Ghost Girl for betraying them like that. However, what she failed to see on the monitor was Ghost Girl's reaction to all this information.

Ghost Girl was completely speechless for an entire minute after hearing what Raguel told her. _Roxy_, she thought. _I didn't know you had a sister. Nor did I know about your niece_. Suddenly, she regretted all the words she told her that day. When her friendship with Roxy fell apart. "Raguel, I... I didn't know all of this. I wish I could help you, I really do, but-."

"I'm tired of hearing excuses, Ghost Girl!" Ghost Girl was surprised at Raguel's answer. When he looked at her, his face was filled with a deadly seriousness that could make anyone afraid. "Just make your turn already."

With no other option, Ghost Girl obliged. "Then it looks like we're back to the duel! My turn!" she announced. "Instead of conducting my Draw Phase, I activate the effect of Altergeist Oasis to add an 'Altergeist' Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Using the effect of Altergeist Oasis, Ghost Girl added Altergeist Hack from her deck to her hand.

_If I don't attack with any of my monsters this turn_, Ghost Girl thought, _Cyreath Provocation will negate their effects and prevent me from using my monsters as Link Materials. This means I have to end the duel on this turn! _"I activate the Trap card, Altergeist Manifestation! This card lets me Special Summon an 'Altergeist' monster from my Graveyard, and equip it with this card! Return from the depths, Altergeist Multifaker!" At her command, Multifaker returned to her field, specifically to the Main Monster Zone Hextia was pointing to.

**Altergeist Multifaker ATK: 1200 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

"Multifaker's effect! When it's Special Summoned, I can Special Summon an 'Altergeist' monster from my deck in defense position! Come, Altergeist Silquitous!" A light brown female monster with six wings on appeared on the field.

**Altergeist Silquitous ATK: 800 DEF: 1500 LVL: 2**

"And before you say it," Ghost Girl added, "I'm well aware of Cyreath Provocation's effect!"

**Altergeist Multifaker ATK: 1200 + 100 = 1300**

**Altergeist Silquitous ATK: 800 + 100 = 900**

"Open before me! The circuit that connects to the unknown parallel universe!" Ghost Girl declared, as a Link Portal opened above her. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Altergeist' monsters! I set Altergeist Hextia, which is a Link 2 monster, and Altergeist Kunquery in the Link Markers!" Kunquery went into the right arrowhead, while Hextia split into two and entered the bottom and bottom-right arrowheads.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 3! Altergeist Primebanshee!" A female red creature with a serpentine and gorgon-like body appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone. The creature had four snake-like heads, with two being on each side, and what looked like a glowing violet crown at the back of her head.

**Altergeist Primebanshee ATK: 2100 LINK-3** ⬇️↘️➡️

**Altergeist Primebanshee ATK: 2100 + 100 = 2200**

"Fortunately for you, since Altergeist Kunquery left the field, your Grand Warden gains back its abilities." Grand Warden was immediately filled with a golden light as it gained back its abilities.

"Damn it," Raguel muttered under his breath. _She summoned that monster_, Raguel thought. If he was going to win, then he had to destroy Primebanshee as soon as he can. What he didn't realize was that Herald heard what he said.

"What is it?" Herald asked. "I've seen you take on harder monsters than this massive serpent. Why are you so concerned?"

"Because that monster is a huge pain in the ass, especially when used in conjunction with the other 'Altergeist' cards." Raguel replied.

"Almost everything is in place for your defeat, Raguel." Ghost Girl said. "First, I activate Altergeist Silquitous' effect! By returning an 'Altergeist' card other than Silquitous to my hand, I can target 1 card you control and return it to your hand! I return Altergeist Oasis to my hand in order to return your face down card back to your hand!" Both Altergeist Oasis and Raguel's face down card returned to their owner's hands.

"Oasis' second effect! If it leaves the field, I can add an 'Altergeist' card from my deck to my hand!" Using the second effect of Altergeist Oasis, Ghost Girl added Altergeist Enhancement to her hand.

"I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Altergeist Enhancement from my hand!" The card showed Altergeist Pixiel downloading data from a database. "I target 1 'Altergeist' monster I control and tribute all other 'Altergeist' monsters to the Graveyard. By doing this, the targeted 'Altergeist' monster gains attack points equal to the combined attack points of the tributed 'Altergeist' monsters! I target Altergeist Primebanshee, and tribute Altergeist Multifaker and Altergeist Silquitous so my monster gains 2200 attack points!"

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Raguel asked, as he watched Multifaker and Silquitous turn into particles, which were then absorbed into Primebanshee, causing her to become stronger.

**Altergeist Primebanshee ATK: 2200 + 2200 = 4400**

"Silquitous' second effect!" Ghost Girl continued. "Since it was sent to the Graveyard, I can add an 'Altergeist' Trap card from my Graveyard to my hand!" Using Silquitous' second effect, Ghost Girl added Altergeist Camouflage from her Graveyard to her hand.

"Time to battle!" Ghost Girl declared. "Altergeist Primebanshee attacks Cyreath Grand Warden! Tentacle Lash!" The four snake-like heads on Primebanshee locked onto Grand Warden and lashed forward, biting the scholar in multiple places before causing him to vanish in an explosion, making Raguel shield his eyes.

**Raguel: 4000 – 2100 = 1900 LP**

"Huh. Guess you managed to survive this turn, Raguel. In that case, I'll Set two cards face down and end my turn." Ghost Girl concluded. _Everything is in place_, Ghost Girl thought. _Altergeist Hack can negate any card effects he throws at me, while Altergeist Camouflage will protect my Primebanshee from any monster effects that target it. And as the cherry on the top of the cream, Altergeist Protocol will ensure he cannot negate anything I throw at him. In other words, once I survive this turn, victory will be in my hands!_

"My turn!" Raguel declared. "I-!"

"Hold on, Raguel!" Herald interrupted him. "Before you draw your card and make a move, I would strongly advise you to analyze the situation."

"I'll do that once I-!"

"You didn't let me finish!" Herald continued. "What I'm saying is this: If you don't make a plan, then you might as well be running into a trap! But by making a plan, you'll be able to make your turn with confidence. And it all starts here." Herald said, as he tapped the top card of Raguel's deck. "Right here. As the creator of this deck, trust me in saying that no matter what happens, the 'Cyreath' cards will always be here to help. Always! If you're willing to work with them."

Raguel breathed in and out before speaking. "Alright, Herald. We'll try it your way." Going back to the duel, he said, "My turn! I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck. When he looked at it, he was surprised at what he got. _Okay, deck_. Raguel thought. _Let's work together once more. For Miyu's sake_. "I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Destruction!" The card showed a city being destroyed by fire and earthquakes, causing it to sink inward. "This card lets me destroy all Spell and Trap cards my opponent controls, and then-!"

"Hold it!" Ghost Girl interrupted him. "I activate the Counter-Trap, Altergeist Hack!" The card showed Altergeist Primebanshee using the snake-like heads on both sides to hack into a network. "If my opponent activates a Spell or Trap card, Altergeist Hack instantly negates and banishes it!" The card fired a green blast at Cyreath Destruction, which did nothing, leaving Ghost Girl in surprise. "Why didn't it work?"

"If you had let me finish," Raguel said, "I would have told you that you can't activate any Spell or Trap cards in response to this card if you control a Link Monster."

"What?" was all Ghost Girl could respond with, as Cyreath Destruction fired a blast of fire at all her Spell and Trap cards, reducing them to nothing but volcanic ash.

"And because Altergeist Enhancement is destroyed, Altergeist Primebanshee loses her attack boost!" Raguel added.

**Altergeist Primebanshee ATK: 4400 – 2200 = 2200 **

"The third effect of Cyreath Destruction kicks in! I can draw one card for each Spell or Trap card destroyed by this effect! Since four cards were destroyed, I can draw four cards!" Raguel immediately drew the top four cards from his deck.

"I summon Cyreath Witch from my hand!" A sorceress with short purple hair, glowing pink eyes and carrying a staff with a skull on it also joined Raguel's field. She wore a raggedy cape and skirt.

**Cyreath Witch ATK: 1200 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

**Cyreath Witch ATK: 1200 + 200 = 1400**

"Cyreath Witch's effect!" Raguel declared. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to my field equal to the number of cards in my hand! Since I have three cards in my hand, I can Special Summon up to three 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to my field!" Witch raised her staff into the air, making the skull on top of it glow purple. Soon, three small skeletons carrying short swords were raised from the dead, appearing on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 + 200 = 700**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared at Raguel's command. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set one of my Cyreath Skeleton tokens in the Link Markers!" One of the Skeleton tokens went into the bottom-left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Skull Wing!" A small skull with wings emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Ogre Bowler was pointing to.

**Cyreath Skull Wing ATK: 300 LINK-1 **↙️

**Cyreath Skull Wing ATK: 300 + 200 = 500**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain once more!" Another Link Portal above Raguel soon appeared. "The summoning conditions are two monsters, except tokens! I set Cyreath Skull Wing, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Witch, in the Link Markers!" Skull Wing went into the left arrowhead, while Witch went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Progleo!" A white-furred cub with orange eyes emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the right Main Monster Zone Pegasus was pointing to. The cub had a satellite dish around its neck, as well as an old video recorder on its back. It also had a small brace on each of its claws, and a small coil attached to its tail. Upon being summoned, Progleo barred its fangs at its opponent.

**Progleo ATK: 1000 LINK-2** ⬅️➡️

"Fight with all you got, Progleo!" Herald cheered.

"Okay!" Progleo replied, as it barked in happiness upon being summoned.

"Hey! It's Progleo!" Ai suddenly said. "Hey! Progleo! Do you remember me? Huh? Huh? Do you remember-?"

"You know that creature?" Playmaker asked Ai, causing Ai to turn and face Playmaker.

"Of course!" Ai replied. "I got to spend a lot of time with him and Herald! Like this one time..."

As Ai went on talking about what he did with Herald and Progleo, Playmaker couldn't help but think, _Raguel somehow is in possession of a sentient Cyberse monster_. He soon looked down at his deck and wondered: Could his monsters possibly be sentient too?

"Skull Wing's effect!" Raguel said. "As it was used to Link Summon, you take 300 points of damage!" The spirit of Skull Wing appeared and dashed through Ghost Girl, making her shudder.

**Ghost Girl: 3200 – 300 = 2900 LP**

"Appear, for the third time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a third Link Portal opened above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I'll set Cyreath Ogre Bowler, which is a Link 2 monster, and my remaining two Cyreath Skeleton tokens in the Link Markers!" Ogre Bowler split into two and entered the top and bottom arrowheads, while the remaining two Skeleton tokens entered the left and right arrowheads respectively.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The Embodiment of Truth is given to mankind! Link 4! Turboblaze Dragon!" The white-color bipedal dragon with blue irises and black pupils, as well as a long and slender neck emerged from the Link Portal to the right Extra Monster Zone as he roared upon appearing on Raguel's field. He had a long, voluminous wispy mane streaming out from the upper side of his snout and outwards from his head, with two protrusions resembling ears on the top of the mane. His arms were slender and arm-like with a wing-like appearance and four fingers on his claws. He had a feathered chest, with long feather-like protrusions jutting out of his thighs. On his feet were large grey claws, three at the front and one positioned at the back to resemble high heels. He also had a jet engine-like tail, with two large bands similar to the front and ribbon like extensions.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 LINK-4 **⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️

"A Link 4 monster?" Ghost Girl said, who was in shock at what she was seeing. The last time she dueled Raguel, he certainly didn't have that in his deck.

"AHHHHH!" Ai screamed. "That dragon's presence is super scary!"

"No. I don't think that's what it is!" Playmaker said. There was something his Link Sense told him. Something about that dragon was different. How, Playmaker could not determine.

"I activate Turboblaze Dragon's first effect!" Raguel said. "When it's Link Summoned, the effects of all monsters you control are negated! Heat Veil!" The jet engine-like tail soon charged up before Turboblaze roared and unleashed waves of volcanic energy at Primebanshee, covering her in scorch marks.

"Battle! Turboblaze Dragon attacks Altergeist Primebanshee! Desolation Flare!" The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze flew up into the air and charged up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at Primebanshee, who was consumed by the ball of fire.

"Turboblaze's additional effect! If this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you take damage equal to the destroyed monsters attack points!"

As Altergeist Primebanshee was about to be destroyed, Ghost Girl said, "This is NOT how I'm going to lose! I activate the second effect of Altergeist Camouflage from my Graveyard! If an 'Altergeist' monster I control would be destroyed by battle or card effect, I can banish it instead! That means I only take 800 points of damage!" A transparent hexagon-like barrier appeared all around Primebanshee's skin as it survived being burned to death. However, Ghost Girl still lost life points regardless.

**Ghost Girl: 2900 – 800 = 2100 LP**

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Link Drain from my hand!" Raguel said. The card showed Summon Sorceress draining energy from Vector Scare Archfiend. "I can target 1 Link Monster you control and reduce its attack points to zero while giving those attack points to a Link Monster I control. However, the changes last until the End Phase of my turn. I target your Altergeist Primebanshee, and reduce her attack points to zero so my Progleo gains her 2200 attack points!"

"Oh no!" Ghost Girl said in horror, as Primebanshee's energy was transferred to Progleo's, super-charging him in the process.

**Progleo ATK: 1000 + 2200 = 3200**

**Altergeist Primebanshee ATK: 2200 – 2200 = 0**

"Time for the winning blow, Progleo!" Herald said.

"The battle still continues!" Raguel added. "Progleo attacks Altergeist Primebanshee! Playful Pounce!" Progleo charged forward and lunged at Primebanshee, destroying the gigantic female gorgon for good in a massive explosion. As a result, Ghost Girl was blasted backwards.

**Ghost Girl: 2100 – 3200 = 0**

After destroying Primebanshee, Progleo ran forward to where Ghost Girl was and started licking her face to wake her up.

"What's-?" Ghost Girl wasn't able to finish her sentence as she started realized that the same monster that defeated her was now playfully licking her face.

"Yield!" Progleo playfully said, as the cub continued licking her face.

"Okay, okay, I yield!" Ghost Girl said as she started to get up. She soon both Raguel and Playmaker walk towards her, with Progleo returning to Raguel's side.

"Ghost Girl, I won fair and square," Raguel stated. "You promised the backdoor program, remember?"

"NOOOOOO!" Ai said. "Now the whole day was for nothing, as we have nothing! NOTHING!"

"Silly little Ignis," Ghost Girl replied. "I made multiple copies of the backdoor program. One for myself as well." She pressed a few buttons on her Duel Disk. After doing so, Raguel and Playmaker got notifications on their Duel Disks, stating that they got the program.

"Well, guess business is officially done." She soon walked up to Raguel and whispered in his ear, "Could you tell Roxy that I'm sorry about what she went through? As well as the fact I'm sorry for what I did?"

Raguel whispered back to her, "She'd prefer if you did it in person, Ghost Girl."

"I know, but... some things are easier to do than others, aren't they?" She leaned away as she gave a small smile.

"That they are."

Ghost Girl then turned to Playmaker and Ai, as well as Raguel before speaking. "Hopefully, we'll all see each other again," she said as she turned around and logged out.

"Well. That was a pretty interesting day. A lot to talk about wouldn't you agree Raguel?" Herald said.

"Raguel." Upon hearing his name, Raguel turned around to see Playmaker talking to him. "You mentioned earlier that you were fighting for someone who went through the Lost Incident, weren't you?"

Raguel nodded before Playmaker continued. "A reason I'm fighting Hanoi is so I can save a friend's brother. He was there, along with the both of us and your friend. But I don't just fight for him. I'm fighting for all of us."

Raguel turned away from Playmaker and thought for a few seconds before replying, "So this means we know of four kids that went through the Lost Incident."

"The Lost Incident also had another name." When Raguel turned his head, Playmaker said, "The Hanoi Project."

"The Hanoi Project?" Raguel repeated, surprised. He then turned to face Playmaker. "That's the main reason you fight the Hanoi. You believe they have something to do with the Incident."

"Aside from that, I know of nothing else," Playmaker said before turning away from him. "Until next time, Raguel." Playmaker logged out after saying that. Raguel logged out a few seconds after Playmaker.

_At Café Nagi..._

Yusaku exited from the sealed room and ran to Kusanagi, who was in the middle of typing on the digital keyboard in front of the monitor.

"Hey Yusaku," Kusanagi said, as Yusaku quickly sat down in the empty seat. "How'd it-?"

"Kusanagi, I need you to search for-." But when Yusaku went to look at the monitor, he was surprised to see a picture of a female individual on the screen, rendering him speechless.

"I knew you'd ask me to search Den City for any people named Roxy. So I did," Kusanagi said. His face then became serious. "Yusaku, who you're looking at on the monitor is Roxy Matsuo. She's the business owner of Café Matsuo. And... my business rival," Kusanagi sheepishly added.

"Your business rival?" Ai asked as he emerged from Yusaku's Duel Disk. "So the both of you have food competitions or something? Food fights?"

"Be quiet," Yusaku told Ai. Turning to Kusanagi, he asked, "Were you able to find anything else? Any relatives? Because during the duel-."

"Yusaku, slow down there buddy," Kusanagi said as he put a hand on Yusaku's shoulder. "I got it under control. As for what you asked, I got it right here." He then opened up another window on the monitor, showing a newspaper article. "According to this newspaper article, Roxy's sister, June Matsuo, and her brother-in law, Sebastian Sugisaki, died in a traffic collision. The couple's daughter, Miyu Sugisaki, fell into a coma and was sent to the Den City Hospital."

"That seems suspicious. If this girl, Miyu Sugisaki, was involved in the Lost Incident, then there had to be more than this to spur Raguel to fight for her," Yusaku stated.

"That's what I thought too. But then I found this. Courtesy of the Den City Police Force." Kusanagi opened a tab, which contained a crime report regarding the traffic collision. Once Yusaku and Ai looked at it, they both were shocked. Miyu's parents weren't killed by a simple collision, but by a murderer.

"OH MY GOD!" Ai screamed, as he started shivering, causing him to hug himself. "Who would do this?!"

"I don't know, Ai. I don't know," Yusaku said, who was caught off-guard. _If the Hanoi was the ones who sent a hitman to eliminate this girl, who partook in the Lost Incident,_ Yusaku thought, _then it shows they're willing to do whatever it takes to complete their goal. But why would they do this? _He then turned to face Kusanagi. "We have to go to Café Matsuo and talk to Roxy. ASAP."

To Yusaku's surprise, Kusanagi shook his head. "I don't think right now is the best time, buddy. For three reasons. One: You're tired. You need rest and time to process this info. Plus, you don't even know what you're going to say to her. Two: You got school tomorrow. While you're there, I can work on preparing a route into SOL Technologies' databank. After all, we do have the backdoor program. Three: Once I'm done working on preparations, _I'll_ go talk to Roxy. We sort of know each other because of our names being associated with our businesses in Den City. Who knows, perhaps we can get her on our side, and Raguel as well if he was in the Lost Incident."

"He was, Kusanagi," Yusaku said. When Kusanagi waited for him to continue, Yusaku added, "Raguel has an Ignis just like me." This caused Kusanagi's jaw to drop upon hearing that information.

"Are you 100% sure?" Kusanagi asked Yusaku, who nodded. He then pondered for a minute before speaking. "Can't believe the small world we know got bigger; wouldn't you agree?" He soon heard snoring, coming from none other than Yusaku. "Poor buddy went through so much he fell asleep. Might as well bring him home." As he went to start up the hot-dog truck, Kusanagi thought, _Yusaku. Once Raguel and Roxy agree to join forces, the four of us will defeat the Hanoi together. And hopefully, there will be peace for all of us._

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

Yuhiro let out a breath of exhaustion as the door to the sealed room opened. He walked out of the sealed room slowly, as he didn't want to fall over. Progleo jumped out Yuhiro's Duel Disk, concern evident on the cub's face.

"Is everything okay?" Progleo asked Yuhiro, who almost nearly fell over.

"Yeah. I'm fine, Progleo," Yuhiro insisted. However, fatigue ultimately won, causing him to drop on one knee. When he looked up, he saw Roxy, who was offering him a hand. "Thanks Roxy." He took her hand, but by the time he stood up, she punched him in the gut, causing him to bend over and drop on one knee. Progleo immediately started gritting this teeth at her for doing that. "What... what was that for?"

"That was for not placing an E.M.S. in Aoi's bag when you had the chance!" Roxy angrily replied, crossing her arms. "If you had, then you wouldn't have made the choices that led to you dueling Ghost Girl!"

"Are you still hanging that over my head?" Yuhiro asked, as he slowly stood up, partly to make sure Roxy wouldn't punch him again. "I told you that I'm sorry. And the reason why I didn't do it in the first place."

"He is telling the truth, you know," Herald said, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "Yuhiro isn't someone who would do such a thing."

"Were you at least able to get the backdoor program?" Roxy asked Yuhiro, who nodded in confirmation. "Well, as long as you learned a lesson for the future." She then looked down at Progleo, who was still angry with her, and picked him up. "You, young cub, were a major badass today! Well done!" She kissed the cub on the nose, causing him to drop his anger towards her.

"What's a badass?" Progleo curiously inquired of Roxy.

"Someone who kicks major butt!" Roxy answered Progleo as she put him down. "Come on. I'll make you some mini cheeseburgers." She then went into Café Matsuo, with Progleo following her and saying, "Hooray! Cheeseburgers!"

"Yuhiro. May I have a word with you? Alone?" Herald asked Yuhiro.

_A few minutes later, in Yuhiro's bedroom..._

"I can't believe you accepted an assignment to capture one of my kind!" Herald furiously stated. Yuhiro was sitting down on his bed as Herald said this to him. "Did it ever occur in that head of yours to ask your boss what he'll do with the Dark Ignis once he's got his hands on him?"

"No," Yuhiro admitted. "I didn't. In all the assignments I completed, I didn't care about what happened to those who got in my way. If I'm being honest, Herald, I don't want to hurt others at all. With what happened though..."

"You were hit with a wake-up call that turned you into a half-demon!" Herald accused Yuhiro, but this didn't stop Yuhiro from continuing.

"In every assignment that I agreed to do for the black market, I only did it for a singular purpose: for getting more money so Miyu can continue receiving the care she needs. After everything Roxy did for me, I owe her completely. If I gave up now, I'd be failing her and Miyu."

Herald sighed. "Yuhiro, I'd do anything for my fellow Ignis. And if I were in your shoes, I'd be feeling the same conflicting feelings you are now. The thing is, Watchman and I are giving you an opportunity. One where you can save not only just her, but everyone as well." He turned to look at the window, which had a nice view of the outdoors. "One of the greatest things I've learned is that life is truly precious. My greatest hope for you is that you understand that. And hopefully do the right thing."

Yuhiro smiled and looked at Herald as he said, "All right, Herald. I hear you loud and clear."

"Good," Herald said. He soon put a hand under his chin. "I am, however, curious about Miyu. Could you one day take me with you when you decide to visit her again?

Yuhiro offered Herald a hand, who shook it in agreement. "Sure, Herald. It's a deal."

**Card Gallery**

_Altergeist Oasis (Continuous Spell Card)_

_While this card is face-up on the field, you can activate this effect instead of conducting a normal draw during your Draw Phase. Search your deck for an 'Altergeist' Trap card; add it to your hand. If this card leaves the field: You can add an 'Altergeist' card from your deck to your hand._

_Altergeist Hack (Counter-Trap Card)_

_If your opponent activates a Spell or Trap card, negate the activation, and if you do, banish it._

_Altergeist Enhancement (Continuous-Spell Card)_

_Target 1 'Altergeist' monster you control; tribute all other 'Altergeist' monsters you control, and if you do, while this card is on the field, the targeted monster gains ATK equal to the combined ATK of the tributed monsters._

_Cyreath Miner (LV: 3/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 0/DEF: 2000)_

_Once per turn, if this card is face up on the field: You can target 1 card in your GY; shuffle it into your deck, and if you do, draw 1 card. If this card is used to Link Summon: You can add 1 card from your GY to your hand._

_Cyreath Ogre Bowler (LR: 2/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 1700/__️_⬇️⬆️_️)_

_2 'Cyreath' monsters. When this card is Special Summoned: You can destroy cards that are in the same column as this card. If you activate this effect, it cannot attack for the rest of the turn._

_Cyreath Grand Warden (LR: 3/Cyberse/Light/ATK: 2100/__️_⬆️↙️⬇️_️)_

_Effect: 2 or more 'Cyreath' monsters. When a monster this card is pointing to is destroyed by a card effect while 'Cyreath Grand Hall' is in your Field Zone: You can shuffle it into the deck, and if you do, gain LP equal to its ATK._

_Cyreath Destruction (Normal Spell Card)_

_When this card is activated: Destroy all Spell and Trap cards your opponent controls, then if any Spell or Trap cards were destroyed: You can draw 1 card for each card destroyed by this effect. If your opponent controls a Link Monster: Your opponent cannot activate Spell/Trap cards in response to this card effect._

_Link Drain (Normal Spell Card)_

_Target 1 Link Monster your opponent controls; reduce its ATK to 0, and if you do, 1 Link Monster you control gains ATK equal to the targeted monsters original ATK. These changes last until the End Phase._

_Cyreath Counter-Shuffle (Normal Trap Card)_

_If your opponent declares an attack with a Link Monster: Negate the attack, then return that monster back to the Extra Deck._

**QOTC**

_Were you surprised by Blood Shepherd's appearance in this chapter?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 9: Journey to the Center of SOL. With everything in hand, Raguel and Herald journey deep into SOL Technologies to reach the databank, where they hope to get the answer's they're seeking..._

**Responses to Reviews and Author Notes**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Lightning, Savagemaster1999, and Unnamed for reviewing Chapter 7 of Obscured Truth.

Okay... WHAT A CHAPTER! I am happy I was finally able to get this chapter done, as there was a lot of ground that needed to be covered. For those of you who were wondering why I took so long, it was due to final exams, which are finally over with. The good news is, I'll be having less finals for next semester, which means more time to continue writing this fanfic. Speaking of said fanfic, let's talk about the recent chapter, shall we?

There were two flashbacks in this chapter, with the duel between Raguel and Ghost Girl sandwiched in the middle. We'll talk about the flashbacks before going into the duel.

The first flashback showed us how Roxy met Emma, and prior to that, she kicked major butt against a bartender's boyfriend who was abusing her. This shows another side of Roxy, as she's not only willing to stand up for those that are criticized or attacked, she can also teach the bullies a lesson if needed. If you're curious as to what I used for inspiration, watch the restaurant fight scene at the beginning of Episode 3 of Titans (which is on Netflix btw).

The second flashback also showed what happened between Raguel and Ghost Girl that caused their friendship to deteriorate. Basically, Raguel and Ghost Girl were assigned by Monty to rescue a man named Hector Marino, who owns a major weapons business on the black market. Unfortunately, due to Ghost Girl betraying Raguel, their friendship breaks apart. And, surprise, even Blood Shepherd makes an appearance in the flashback as well! There is a good chance that Hector might make another appearance in the story. How, you'll have to stay tuned and find out.

In between those flashbacks was the duel between Raguel and Ghost Girl. This was my first time writing a duel with Altergeist cards, so if you have any tips regarding them in the future, don't hesitate to let me know. Even though Raguel had difficulty getting through Ghost Girl's Altergeist cards, he still managed to pull through and win the duel thanks to Herald's advice.

By the end of the chapter, we have Yusaku and Kusanagi learning the name of Raguel's ally, as well as the fact that Raguel has an Ignis, confirming that he was in the Lost Incident. Next chapter, you'll see what Yusaku and Kusanagi will do with this information, this I will tell you.

I wanted to get this chapter done so I can say something special to all of you.

MERRY ZARCMAS, EVERYONE!

Okay, with that out of the way, it's time for the reviews:

HunterHQ: Thanks very much. As Progleo is young, he still has much to learn. I can therefore agree with you that he is similar to Simba. I do hope you enjoyed the duel between Raguel and Ghost Girl, as well as the flashbacks.

Lightning: Thank you very much. I think you'll be interested in what's to come.

Savagemaster1999: Glad to see you enjoyed the Cubic Archetype in the story. As for how Aoi will handle learning Raguel's identity, you'll have to wait and see.

Unnamed: While it was cruel for Ghost Girl to duel back to back, it was ultimately karma in the end biting her back in the butt. Rest assured. Characters such as Aoi, Blood Shepherd, and Akira will get the respect they deserve.

Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews, as well as any questions, thoughts, and opinions you may have. Also, let me know what you thought of Blood Shepherd appearing in this chapter. Did I do him justice? With your input, I can continue improving as a writer. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. See you next chapter!


	9. Chapter 9: Journey to the Center of SOL

**Chapter 9: Journey to the Center of SOL**

_The next morning, at Café Matsuo..._

Yuhiro yawned as he walked downstairs into the kitchen part of the second floor. Roxy was already there, cooking breakfast. She looked at Yuhiro as he grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl, two blueberry tarts, and a yogurt from the fridge before sitting down at one of the chairs near the table.

"Good morning," Roxy said, smiling at Yuhiro. "Got some good z's?"

"Ya. I guess you could say that," Yuhiro replied, as he started eating. "No nightmares this time, which is a good thing, I guess."

"If I were you, I wouldn't jinx it," Roxy said, as she put what she was cooking on her plate and sat down with Yuhiro. From what Yuhiro saw on her plate, it was evident to him that she cooked an omelette. "Last night, I got a chance to look at the backdoor program you got from Ghost Girl before going to bed. It's a blueprint of SOL Technologies' mother computer, with a route all the way to the center." Roxy scowled. "The fact that Ghost Girl got this far on her own not only surprises me, but pisses me off as well."

"You're not the only one who feels the same way." Yuhiro said as he took a bite into one of his blueberry tarts. "Ghost Girl's always been a skilled hacker. The only problem that she has is her attitude."

"As well as the fact that she'll willingly betray anyone should she see something _precious_." Roxy spat that last word out as she cut another piece of her omelette and bit into it.

Wanting to change the topic, Yuhiro asked, "When do you think Playmaker will infiltrate SOL's mother computer?"

Roxy thought for a few moments before answering him. "If I had to guess, it could be tonight. Usually, during the morning, SOL would keep their security updated to get through day to day business. However, I found this." She showed Yuhiro the latest newspaper article regarding SOL, which talked about Akira Zaizen's demotion and replacement as security manager. Upon seeing who's replacing him, Yuhiro couldn't help but be surprised.

"Seriously?" Yuhiro asked Roxy, who nodded. "They're replacing Zaizen with _Kitamura_? The same doofus that tried to sue you for-? What was it again?"

"Food poisoning, dum-dum." Roxy took off her glasses and cleaned them before putting them back on again. "Thank God we have a family lawyer. Or else I would have had to pay Kitamura lots of money. The revenge I got on that man was so sweet I will-."

Immediately, both Yuhiro and Roxy's phones vibrated. When they checked, they were shocked at the text that Herald sent them.

_Both of you. Come to the backroom. Found something important,_ the text read.

"Wonder what Herald wants with us?" Yuhiro asked Roxy, as the two of them left the kitchen and headed downstairs.

"It honestly better be important." Roxy sighed. "Cause I need time to not only analyze the program, but also make a new gauntlet for you as a reward for your win against Ghost Girl."

By the time the two of them reached the backroom, Herald was waiting for them, his arms crossed.

"About time the both of you showed up," Herald said, as Yuhiro and Roxy sat in their respective seats. "You two were so slow that I was considering turning off the monitors."

"We just had breakfast." Yuhiro countered. "Anyway, what do you want to show us?"

Herald turned to face Yuhiro. "Yuhiro. As your Ignis, one of my abilities is having a _very_ good photographic memory. It gives me the ability to recall an image from memory after seeing it only once, with high precision for a brief time after exposure."

"And? What is your point?" Yuhiro raised an eyebrow at Herald, who wanted him to continue.

"My point is this: After your little chat with Playmaker, I kept thinking: If I found an image of an individual who had the same face as him, then we would be able to find his real life identity. So I started searching in Den City for the whole morning. Until I found _this_ individual." A window then popped up on the monitor, showing someone that Yuhiro recognized. Yusaku Fujiki.

"Wait. What?" both Yuhiro and Roxy said at the same time, surprised at what they were seeing. Yuhiro quickly recovered and told Herald, "This isn't enough, Herald. If you honestly believe Fujiki is Playmaker, then you'll need more evidence to back up your theory."

"That's what I thought," Herald replied. "But then I scoured the camera recordings across Den City to find any events this 'Fujiki' was a part of. This is what I found." Two more tabs opened up, showing different camera recordings. The tab on the left showed a camera recording of Den Academy, while the tab on the right showed a camera recording of the Den City Hospital. After looking at when the recordings took place, Yuhiro and Roxy's faces paled. They both occurred the day Aoi was taken to the Den City Hospital.

In the recording at Den Academy, an ambulance arrived at the school and loaded Aoi on a stretcher before wheeling her back onto said vehicle. The ambulance then left the school and, in the recording at the Den City Hospital, returned to the hospital. Aoi was immediately brought out of the ambulance and taken inside. The camera recording also showed that Yusaku had followed the ambulance.

After a period of time, a limo pulled out of the hospital and a man with blue and teal hair and in a suit ran out of it. Both Yuhiro and Roxy recognized him as Akira Zaizen. He found Aoi as the medical staff took her into the exam room. Akira attempted to go in with her, but the doctors prevented him from doing so. As the doctors wheeled Aoi away, Akira turned to Yusaku, who saw the events unfold. The audio began to play the moment their conversation began.

"You were the one who called me?"

"Yes. I found her unconscious on the roof. She's been like that since I called the paramedics. And the whole ride over."

"How could this have happened to her?" Akira wondered. "No. How could I have let this happen? Wait? What were you doing on the roof when this happened?"

"I just needed to get some air," Yusaku replied. "And I guess I was at the right place at the right time."

"I see." Akira smiled, doing his best to be brave. "How lucky of her. Good to know."

"Sure." Yusaku was about to walk away when Akira spoke up.

"Hey. Hold on a second. I didn't get a chance to thank you, uh-."

"Fujiki. Yusaku Fujiki." Yusaku said.

Yuhiro watched as Yusaku left the hospital. Of course. It all made sense now. That day, when Yusaku was in Duel Club and Aoi wanted to inspect his deck to see if he was Playmaker. Then a day later, prior to Playmaker's duel with Blue Angel, Yuhiro bumped into her, when she was crying. And Yusaku walked with him to school. Yuhiro's greatest theory was that Aoi talked with Yusaku about his reasons for joining the Duel Club that day, and she started crying because she couldn't trust him. In addition, if Yusaku knew that Aoi was Blue Angel, he would have first checked the roof. After all, where else would someone get privacy to log into LINK VRAINS?

_Yusaku is Playmaker, Yusaku is Playmaker_, were the thoughts that kept going through Yuhiro's head. Until someone shouted in his ear.

"Oi. YUHIRO!" And that someone was none other than Roxy. "You look like your head was in the clouds."

"I was deep in thought, Roxy!" Yuhiro countered, turning to Roxy with a furious expression. Those moments going through the information were now all scrambled up thanks to Roxy.

"And another thing," Herald said, interrupting the two and preventing a fight. "Now that we know who Playmaker is, you can format your plan on infiltrating the databank. Based on the information that we know; he'll probably infiltrate the databank by nightfall for three reasons. One: In real life, he's a high school student. High school students typically go through a school day during the morning and early afternoon, unless occupied otherwise. Since this 'Fujiki' has no other extracurricular activities, his chances of executing his plan at night go up by 100%. Two: Now that he has the backdoor program, just like us, he can begin mapping out a route to the databank. However..."

"He'll need an ally to work with." Yuhiro finished for Herald. "In other words, someone who's a hacker like Playmaker. Someone who has the same skills as Roxy."

"Exactly!" Herald pointed out. "Which brings me to my last point. Three: With the recent development in SOL Technologies regarding the appointment of the new security manager, and based on word about him on the web, security will be weaker than usual. Therefore, like you, 'Fujiki' will take advantage of the opportunity and infiltrate the databank."

"I see." Yuhiro said. _If Playmaker intends to go for the data as well_, Yuhiro thought, _then it's very likely I'll encounter him_. He then scowled. _Ghost Girl mentioned that she made more than one copy of the backdoor program_. _So the chances of seeing her again, though I hate to admit it, are 100%_.

Roxy noticed Yuhiro frowning, as she asked, "Hey. What's on your mind?"

Turning to her, Yuhiro replied, "After I defeated Emma and got the backdoor program, she mentioned that she made more than one copy. Which means that, tonight, I'll probably have to encounter again." Upon hearing this, Roxy was not pleased, and was about to say something when Yuhiro's watch beeped.

"I'm assuming this means it's time for school?" Herald asked, as Yuhiro picked up his Duel Disk.

"Guess so," Yuhiro replied. Before he left the backroom, he turned to Roxy and said, "Let me know once you finished analyzing the program."

"Don't worry," Roxy said, as she got out her phone and shaking it side to side, "You'll be the first to know." After Yuhiro left, Roxy seethed. _Seriously, Emma_, Roxy thought. _Just when we thought we were rid of you for good, you show up once again_. She then ran a hand through her dark, curly hair and sighed. This was going to be a long night, that's for sure.

_At Den Academy..._

"So I was thinking," Herald said in his eyeball form, as Yuhiro walked to the building, "that since the both of you know each other's identities in LINK VRAINS, you could introduce yourselves in real life. After all, if the both of you were to work together, then the chances of defeating the Hanoi will skyrocket by 100%."

"You're forgetting, Herald," Yuhiro said, as he raised his arm to look at Herald, "that I was assigned to acquire Playmaker's Ignis. And you know why I accepted the assignment in the first place."

"I'm aware, Yuhiro." Herald sighed before he continued. "You're doing this to not only repay a debt, but because you're fond of Roxy's niece Miyu as well, aren't you?"

This completely caught Yuhiro off guard, causing him to blush while he regained his senses. "Uh-what? What makes you think that?"

Herald chuckled before he responded. "Simple. When I went through the hospital recordings to find Playmaker, I found a recording of you visiting her. The most touching part of it was how you held her hand with yours, and promised that you wouldn't give up on her." His eyeball form curved upward, as though he were smiling.

"Hospital visits are supposed to be private, Herald!" Yuhiro furiously whispered. He then noticed Den Academy up ahead. "Don't you dare mention this to Roxy! Or who knows how long she'll tease me!"

"I'll think about it," Herald said, as he went silent. Based on how Herald answered him, Yuhiro wasn't sure if he meant it or if he was just straight up lying.

Once Yuhiro entered his Statistics class, he noticed that only half the seats were filled up. As he went to take his seat for class, he also caught the eye of someone else. Yusaku Fujiki. They narrowed their eyes at each other, but then the both of them turned to face the teacher, who was preparing for the lesson.

If Yuhiro had to be honest, he was surprised upon finding out who Playmaker was. The fact that Herald found out so quickly made him feel like a fool for not finding out sooner. Now that he knew Playmaker's identity, he felt that it was something that he should guard. As though it were precious. _If Playmaker were in my shoes_, Yuhiro thought, _he wouldn't reveal my identity either. After all, who knows what would be after me if he posted my identity on the Internet?_ Ultimately, he decided that it would be better if Playmaker's identity remained a secret. That was Yusaku's secret to tell.

Statistics class passed by without an incident. But at the end of the class, Yuhiro got a text. From Herald.

_Got this strange text_, the message replied. _It also contains a phone number. Apparently, the person wants you to call them_. After Yuhiro scrolled down, the phone number read, _(416) 907-7726_. Yuhiro sighed. Just when his day couldn't get better, this had to happen.

_A few minutes later..._

"Watchman. Of all the times to call me, you had to call me now?" Yuhiro asked. He was on the rooftop, where he could get privacy for this call. In all honesty, Yuhiro was lucky to have a spare period before his next class. Otherwise, he would have been in a rough spot.

"I'm calling to make sure that you're following the instructions that I gave you." Watchman stated. "Were you able to get the backdoor program?"

"Yeah. I did." Yuhiro replied. "I'll be commencing the operation tonight." He then thought of something. "Is there anything else you want to tell me? Like, oh I don't know, your identity and-." Yuhiro was cut off immediately by Watchman.

"Raguel. All will be revealed in due time. The information in SOL's mother computer will be an enormous help. Not just to me, but to you as well. If all goes well, then I'll see you tonight."

"Wait!" But that was all Yuhiro could say, as Watchman hung up on him. "Why won't he just answer my questions, Herald?"

"I honestly wish I knew," Herald said, as he emerged from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "I don't even know his identity, yet I trust him because he helped several Cyberse escape. I do hope you trust him overtime."

"Me too, Herald. Me too." Yuhiro soon headed back into the school. _Why do I have this feeling that tonight's going to be eventful, _Yuhiro thought, as he reached the hallways of Den Academy. While he couldn't explain it, he did know that something was about to happen tonight. And whatever happens tonight at SOL's mother computer will change him, but whether it was for the best or worse, he couldn't figure out.

_At Café Matsuo..._

Kusanagi had to walk five minutes from Café Nagi to find the place known as Café Matsuo. He hadn't been in this area of Den City in a long time. Lately, he'd spend most of his time at Café Nagi, either working the front or helping Yusaku.

If Yusaku wasn't at school today, he would have agreed to bring him along. After all, he theorized that him meeting Raguel in real life could be the first step in finding the other kids that were a part of the Lost Incident. That, and Yusaku pretty much needed friends.

Yes, there it was. A building with the sign 'Café Matsuo' on it. As a business owner, Kusanagi could tell the building had a welcoming atmosphere to it, even though it looked old. He soon saw a woman taking another person's order. The woman had black, wavy, waist-length hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a hairband with black-trimmed glasses, with blue denim jeans and a dark yellow shirt with an apron on it. Her eyes were black and had light-tan skin, making her an attractive figure. _That must be Roxy_, Kusanagi deduced.

_Okay. Here we go. Don't screw this up_, Kusanagi thought as he approached Roxy, who was typing something on her tablet.

"Um, hello there." Kusanagi said to her, getting her attention. When she looked up from her tablet, she was surprised to see Kusanagi there.

"Oi! You're the owner of Café Nagi in the flesh!" Roxy stated. She then raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"Look," Kusanagi said, "I'm on lunch break. And if I'm being honest, I haven't been to this area of Den City in a long time. This was the only place that came to my head." He then added, "Since we're business rivals and all, I do hope there's no hard feelings."

Roxy relaxed after hearing him say that. "Of course there's no hard feelings between us. We're just people, doing our jobs after all." She then grabbed a paper and pen. "Anyways, what can I get you?"

Looking at the menu, Kusanagi said, "I'd like a Turkey Burger with a small side of fries. That, and I want to talk to you. About a friend of mine."

Roxy was confused about the last statement until Kusanagi pulled out a card and placed it on the counter. When Roxy picked up the card and looked at it, her eyes widened. "You're-."

"Yeah. I am." Kusanagi confirmed. "When are you off? I just want to talk. Nothing else."

"Give me five minutes. I need to turn on the steward bot." Roxy replied.

"Very well. I will wait. Thank you." Kusanagi picked up Decode Talker from the counter and went over to an isolated picnic table, where he waited for his order. Since Yusaku left his deck at home, Kusanagi taken the card with him so Roxy would know who he was. After five minutes, Roxy turned on the steward bot and went over to where Kusanagi was, with his turkey burger and fries.

"If I can be honest," Roxy said, "I never expected Playmaker's ally to appear at my doorstep at all today."

"I didn't expect to come here either." Kusanagi replied. "But I volunteered to go anyway."

"The thing is, deep down, I knew it." Roxy stated. "I knew that there were others that went through the same ordeal that we went through. I honestly hoped we weren't the only ones, and it seems my faith is rewarded!" She laughed at herself as she said that. "So. You're Playmaker's ally, huh?"

"The one and only." Kusanagi sheepishly scratched the back of his head as he answered her. "But you can call him Yusaku. Before you say anything, we figured out Raguel's identity last night, so you don't have to be surprised."

Roxy smirked upon hearing this information. "In that case, you can call him Yuhiro. And yes, before you ask, I'm one of the only allies he has. But I need to know. What's your real purpose in talking to me?"

"It's simple." Kusanagi said before his face turned serious. "Aside from our friends, we have something in common. I know this because of something your ally said. 'I want to save Roxy's niece from what she's been going through ever since that day.'"

Roxy was speechless for a minute before responding. "Yeah. My niece, Miyu, was a part of the Lost Incident. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because my brother, Jin, was also part of the same Incident." Immediately upon hearing Kusanagi say that, Roxy's hostility popped and was replaced with sympathy.

"My God. I'm so sorry. Playmaker was talking about fighting for a friend's brother. He was talking about him?"

"He was," Kusanagi said, with a sad smile. "The Incident closed his heart off from the rest of the world. No matter what I or anyone could do, he wouldn't respond. Sometimes, I feel like I want to get revenge on whoever did this to Jin, and-."

"Kill them?" Roxy bluntly asked, surprising Kusanagi. "I've experienced those same feelings too. There are days that I want to punish the people who made Miyu suffer for what they did. But I wouldn't be a good Auntie if I did that. After all, with her parents gone, I'm the only family she has now."

"Well. Not exactly." Kusanagi said, getting Roxy's attention. "Once she's cured of the Incident, she'll live with you and Yuhiro. You might think you're the only family Miyu has left, but you're forgetting something. Yuhiro probably cares for her too."

Hearing this statement made Roxy realize something. She wasn't the only one fighting for Miyu. Yuhiro was as well. The fact that he cared for her meant he would become a part of the many precious people in her life. Once she woke up from her coma that is. She chuckled. "I totally forgot about that. Thanks. And I'm pretty sure that once you introduce Jin to Yusaku, he can help you ensure that your brother can move on in life."

Kusanagi smiled as he thought about this. "You might be on to something, Roxy. I'll take your advice into consideration."

Roxy then stood up. "You know what? Let me get you something to celebrate our friendship." She then ran back into Café Matsuo. A couple of minutes later, she brought back a USB and gave it to Kusanagi, along with her laptop.

"What information is on this USB?" Kusanagi asked.

"Yuhiro and I have a feeling that the both of you will try to infiltrate SOL's databank tonight. So I thought I'd make it easier for the both of you and give you guys some equipment for the job." Roxy replied. She then motioned for Kusanagi to put the USB in her laptop.

When Kusanagi did, he was shocked at what he was seeing. Firewall protectors. An emergency data rope. And a...

"A gauntlet?" Kusanagi asked, as he looked at the Cracker gauntlet. "You used the Hanoi's program for their Cracking Dragons to make these gauntlets?"

"Yup. These gauntlets are a work of art." Roxy said. "This gauntlet, in particular, has the power of a single Cracking Dragon. So use only in emergencies."

"Got it." Kusanagi then pulled out the USB from Roxy's laptop and stood up. "I, I don't know what to say. You honestly helped us a lot. But I have to know. Are you guys planning on infiltrating SOL's databank too? If so, how come?"

"We are." Roxy confirmed. "And it's a long story."

Kusanagi then extended out his hand. "I gotta go, but it's been a pleasure to officially meet you, Roxanne Matsuo."

"The pleasure is all mine," Roxy said, shaking his hand. "But please, call me Roxy. And if you do stop by, see if you can bring Yusaku. It would be nice to meet him."

"I'll see if I can. And Café Nagi is always open to you and Yuhiro if you're ever around in the public square." After saying this, Kusanagi left.

_A few hours later..._

Yuhiro turned the 'Closed' sign on. After he came back from school, he and Roxy worked the fast food restaurant for a while. But now, it was time for _the_ job. He headed to the backroom where he found Roxy waiting.

"I've finished analyzing the program earlier," Roxy said, as she turned the main monitor on. "You can go in anytime you want."

"Not yet." Yuhiro replied. "I'll wait until Playmaker goes in. This way, Kitamura can focus on him and try to take his Ignis. In other words, Playmaker will act as the decoy while I can get to the databank first."

"If all goes well, that is." Herald said as he emerged from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "Remember, Watchman is either expecting us there or will meet us there." Yuhiro frowned in hearing this information.

"Hang on. What happened, Yuhiro?" Roxy asked, turning to face him.

"It's simple," Herald said, answering for Yuhiro. "Watchman called Yuhiro earlier today to confirm if he was still following instructions. He also told us that he would appear at the databank, and before Yuhiro could get any information out of him, he hung up. Not that I blame him."

"Really, Herald?" Yuhiro raised an eyebrow at him. "I could have told her that on my own."

Changing the subject, Roxy got their attention by pointing to the different blipping colored dots on the monitor. "Hey dummies. Even if Playmaker is used as a decoy, you still have lots of other things to worry about on your trip. For instance, the blue dots represent data slicers, while the green dots represent data cleansers. These security traps, if you're caught in them, will result in a forced log-out." She turned to face Yuhiro. "There's also rumors that Kitamura is developing AI duelists. If that's true and you're discovered, he'll no doubt send them after you."

"An AI duelist won't stop me or Playmaker," Yuhiro stated, as he crossed his arms. "AI's only have their programming, while Playmaker and I have actual reasons to fight. Other than that, the trip should be okay..." Yuhiro fell silent.

"You're worried about the other humans that could be there, aren't you?" Roxy asked, concern in her voice.

Yuhiro turned to her, shocked that she was able to figure that out so quickly. "How did you-?"

"Dum-dum. I just know these things." Roxy replied.

"No you didn't," Herald suddenly said. "Earlier today, the both of you were talking about the probability of encountering Ghost Girl in the databank. Which means you didn't just know by instinct." Roxy, now furious with Herald, would have attacked him if it weren't for Yuhiro stopping her.

"Easy. Both of you." Looking at Roxy, he asked, "You mentioned you worked on a new gauntlet, right? Is it ready?" She nodded, and then led the way to the workshop.

As Yuhiro picked up Herald, he whispered to the shaky Ignis, "If I were you, I'd be careful around Roxy. Unless the situation is important, she doesn't really like it when someone corrects her."

_At Café Matsuo's workshop..._

"You made a gauntlet based off of Altergeist Primebanshee?" Yuhiro asked, who was weirded out by the gauntlet's design. The gauntlet on the table was colored violet red, with gold and black decal, as well as gold spikes. However, the gauntlet was in the shape of one of Primebanshee's heads. "How do I even use it?"

"While you can't use the gauntlet in duels, it is good for retrieving data. Lots of data." Roxy said, as she opened up a video. "The video demonstration will help you learn to use the gauntlet. Think of it like a carry-on, only for data."

As Yuhiro clicked the 'Play' button on the video, he saw an individual equip the gauntlet on their right hand. In front of them was a databank. The individual opened the hand portion of the gauntlet, so the palm was exposed. They then placed their palm on the databank, resulting in the gauntlet glowing red.

"When the gauntlet's glowing," Roxy explained, "it means it's downloading the data. After it's finished, the glow will go away." She then closed her laptop. "The gauntlet also has a 'quick' download option. But it will only download a small amount of data. Understood?"

"I must say, I do like these gauntlets." Herald said, as he observed them. "Yet the both of you do realize you have an Ignis, who can retain a massive load of data. Far more than that gauntlet, if I may add."

"I'll only use the gauntlet if needed," Yuhiro told Herald, thus assuring him. Suddenly, the monitors beeped, causing Yuhiro and Roxy, along with Herald, to head back to the backroom. When they looked at the monitors, their eyes widened.

"Playmaker's been detected!" Roxy said, as she immediately sat down. "I've downloaded the Scrambler gauntlet in your Duel Disk. If I were you, I'd head to the sealed room and head for LINK VRAINS."

"Got it!" Yuhiro started heading for the sealed room before stopping and turning to Roxy. "Wait. You called it the Scrambler? Why?"

"If you don't like the name," Roxy said, turning to face Yuhiro, "we'll figure one out later. Both of you. Go!"

"Okay, okay!" Yuhiro entered the sealed room and placed his deck in his Duel Disk. "Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

_At SOL Technologies..._

Computers were constantly beeping, causing nothing but annoyance for Kitamura, who didn't like it.

"What's with the alarm?!" Kitamura demanded from the operators.

"Sir! Someone has infiltrated the mother computer!" an operator replied.

"What?" Kitamura said, surprised. Who would be that stupid to do that? "Pull it up on the screen!" he ordered. Upon seeing the screen, his eyes widened in shock. It was Playmaker, surrounded by a Data Storm and standing on his duel board.

"Playmaker?!" Kitamura said in shock. He quickly regained his focus. "What's he doing here? Have Prototypes A, B, and C intercept and exterminate him!"

Soon, three humanoid robots appeared on duel boards around Playmaker. One was blue and green, one was orange and purple, and one was blue and pink.

"Duelists?" Playmaker wondered, surprised at his opponents.

"Found Playmaker," Prototype AI-B said.

"They're AI duelists, Playmaker!" Ai told Playmaker.

"What? Are you saying SOL Technologies made these duelists?" Playmaker asked. Since when did SOL start creating AI duelists?

"Beginning Speed Duel," Prototype AI-A said.

"Come on, you guys!" Ai scolded the AI Duelists. "Duels are one-on-one, NOT three-on-one!"

_Elsewhere, in the databank..._

Raguel fell through the tunnel and saw a small propulsion device in front of him. He grabbed onto it as he headed for the databank. Roxy must have made the device so he could use it to easily navigate the databank.

"I'm in, Roxy." Raguel told her, as he sped ahead.

"I see you, Yuhiro. And don't worry, in the event that this doesn't work, I have an emergency log-out program for you that's ready to be used." Roxy said to him.

"Has anyone ever told you that-?"

"RAGUEL! LOOK OUT!" Herald shrieked, giving Raguel a heart attack. They soon saw a purple diamond, causing Raguel to dive downward to avoid it.

The next thing Raguel knew, he saw a data stream up ahead. _SOL must use that to delete old data_, Raguel thought. "Got anything to help me get through this data stream?"

"There's a firewall protector program installed in your Duel Disk," Roxy replied. "If you activate it, you should be able to bypass through."

Raguel pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk, causing him to be surrounded by a honeycomb-like program around his body. Upon making contact with the data stream, he was able to enter it, letting him pass through. _So this is what's it's like to be in a data stream_, Raguel thought. While he didn't know what it was like to use Storm Access, he could at least get a temporary taste of what it was like to be inside of data.

"Got through the data stream." Raguel said. He soon chuckled. "It's like an obstacle course. Almost like _New Super Mario Bros_."

"If this were like _New Super Mario Bros_," Roxy said, "then there'd be power-ups. Huh? What's-?"

"Roxy! Is everything okay?"

"Something's not right," Roxy muttered. "Your Duel Disk's scanner is detecting something up ahead. But it isn't an AI or security trap, so be careful."

Something other than an AI or security trap was up ahead? Was it a person? Before Raguel could ask Roxy, he turned the corner and ran into none other than...

"Blue Angel!" Raguel said, surprised.

"Raguel!" she said at the same time.

"What are you doing here?" both of them asked each other.

"You first." Blue Angel said, getting right to the point. "You ran into me."

"Are you nuts, lady?" Herald said, popping out of Raguel's Duel Disk and pointing at her. "You. First." Upon seeing Herald, Blue Angel's eyes widened in surprise.

"Since when do you use an AI, Raguel?" Blue Angel asked him. Herald was about to utter out a furious retort when Raguel said, "Enough. Both of you!"

Raguel then turned his head so he could look into Blue Angel's eyes. "I'm here to access SOL's mother computer. What about you?"

Blue Angel was quiet for a minute before responding. "I'm here to pay Playmaker back for saving me."

Raguel couldn't help but smile. _Of course you are_, Raguel thought. "Hope you don't mind another question, but how did you-?" His eyes widened before he figured the answer out for himself. "Ghost Girl told you, didn't she?"

"Not exactly," Blue Angel admitted. "I spied on her and my brother talking about an incident ten years ago. I'm guessing you're trying to access the mother computer for information on the incident, aren't you?"

Raguel's face went pale upon hearing Blue Angel figure out his goal. _Am I that easy to read_, he thought. He couldn't focus on that. Right now, he had to focus on reaching the mother computer.

The next thing the both of them knew, they cleared Area A and were right in front of a shocking sight. "A Data Storm?" Raguel said, shocked at seeing one up close. He had experience getting swept up by one, but seeing it in SOL's databank. That was new entirely.

Nevertheless, he couldn't let that stop him. He was about to head forward when Blue Angel said, "Wait!", making him turn back to Blue Angel.

"Playmaker needs our help." Blue Angel said, seeing Playmaker struggle against an AI duelist. "If we work together, then-."

"Blue Angel, the last time I worked with someone, it didn't go well." Raguel stated, causing Blue Angel to widen her eyes in surprise. "Playmaker can handle the obstacles ahead of him. He doesn't need my help."

Blue Angel was silent for a few moments upon hearing Raguel say that. "Do you honestly believe that?" she asked him, catching him off guard. "You once told me that you dueled for someone you cared about. If they were here, right now, would you help them? Think about that." She then sped off to help Playmaker, leaving Raguel alone.

"You know, Blue Angel does make a good point," Herald said, turning to face Raguel and crossing his arms. "After all, if those AI duelists defeat Playmaker, then a member of my kind will be captured by SOL."

"I'm well aware of that, Herald. It's just-." Suddenly, he got a call from Roxy. He placed his hand on his earpiece. "What?"

"Both Herald and Blue Angel make excellent points." Roxy stated. "Honestly, Yuhiro. If Miyu was in a tough situation, I'm pretty sure you'd help her in a heartbeat. Why are you hesitating now to help Playmaker?"

Raguel scowled. "Roxy. I thought the goal was to reach the mother computer."

"That's still the goal, dum-dum," Roxy countered. "But the AI Duelists might be pains in the butt for both Playmaker and Blue Angel. Which is why you're going to help them."

Before Raguel could say anything, Roxy said, "Yuhiro, please. If you don't do this, then who will be there for Miyu when she-."

Raguel sighed. "I hate it when you guilt me into doing these things," he grumbled as he turned upwards and followed Blue Angel.

_Elsewhere, in the databank..._

Playmaker was in a rough spot. He was in a duel with an AI duelist known as Prototype AI-A. Right now, Prototype AI-A had a Link Monster called Tentacluster Nautilus and a monster called Tentacluster Drillworm. On top of that, AI-A also managed to remove all the cards from Playmaker's hand.

The next thing Playmaker knew, the orange and purple AI came out of nowhere and rammed Playmaker's duel board. Playmaker managed to regain control and swerve just in time to avoid another ramming attempt.

"Hey! Cut it out!" Ai shouted at both AI's. In response, the blue and pink AI appeared and rammed Playmaker itself. "This isn't good! We're practically sandwiched!" The two AI's aimed to charge Playmaker once more when...

A blue energy whip appeared and wrapped itself around the orange one's waist, flinging it away. A red cord soon appeared and attached itself to the blue and pink one's wrist and pulled it away from Playmaker. When Playmaker looked back, he was surprised to see Blue Angel and Raguel behind him.

"I leave LINK VRAINS for like, two and a half seconds, and now duelists are robots!" Blue Angel exclaimed, clearly angry at what she was seeing.

Behind her, Raguel said, "Guess the rumors were true after all."

"Blue Angel! Raguel!" Playmaker said, surprised.

"White Ignis, what brings you here?" Ai asked, surprised as well.

"The same thing as you, Dark Ignis," Herald replied. "And for the record, it's only polite to call me by my name."

"I'll call you by your name only if you stop making fun of my name!" Ai replied, and he would have said more had Playmaker not sternly looked at him, causing him to stop talking.

"The fact you tin cans are ganging up on Playmaker is clearly unfair," Blue Angel said. "So we're here to even the odds."

"If you intend to interfere with us..." Prototype AI-A said.

"We will eliminate you." Prototype AI-B, the orange AI, said as it reappeared on its duel board.

"Intruders must be eliminated!" Prototype AI-C, the pink AI, added.

"Why are you here?" Playmaker inquired of Blue Angel and Raguel.

"I'm here to repay a debt," Blue Angel stated. "So don't get any ideas."

"I don't recall you owing me," Playmaker said.

Blue Angel, in response, smiled. "That's fine, too." She turned to AI-B. "AI duelist, I'll take you on! Cause once I defeat you, all you'll be seeing is blue!"

Playmaker then turned to Raguel. "And you?"

"I'm here for the same thing you are." Raguel admitted. "Unfortunately, I was 'persuaded' into helping you. Otherwise, I'd be at the mother computer right now."

"I see." Playmaker smiled. "Then it's a race to see who gets there first."

Raguel smiled back. "Guess so." He turned to AI-C. "My Duel Anchor locks you in a duel against me. In other words, unless you want to be stuck here, you must defeat me."

"Challenge accepted." Raguel and AI-C turned a corner and took a different route, as did Blue Angel and AI-B.

_At SOL Technologies..._

"Blue Angel dares infiltrate the databank too? And Raguel as well?" Kitamura said in shock. "NOOOO!" He screamed and pounded his desk. "That is so Zaizen to use his sister like that!" He then turned to his operators. "Hey! Bring Zaizen over here! NOW!"

"He's already left for the day," one of the operators said.

"He did, huh?" Kitamura wondered. "That's nothing but ridiculousness!"

"What should we do about Blue Angel and Raguel?" another operator asked.

"Have AI-B and AI-C duel them!" Kitamura demanded. "Make sure they're deleted immediately! I'll have Zaizen responsible for Blue Angel, and Raguel will suffer the wrath of SOL Technologies! If the AI duelists fail, you're all fired!"

"Prototype B duel Blue Angel," one operator said.

"Prototype C, duel Raguel," another operator said.

"Roger," both AI's said.

"Speed Duel!" Raguel and AI-C shouted.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Prototype AI-C: 4000 LP**

"Have Prototype C take the first turn," Kitamura said to the operators. "Raguel must be finished ASAP!"

"My turn!" AI-C said. "I activate my Skill: Triple Draw! This Skill lets me draw three cards from my deck!" AI-C drew three cards from his deck, resulting in it having seven cards in it's hand.

"From my hand, I summon Tentacluster Drillworm!" A drill with fins at the back of it appeared on the field.

**Tentacluster Drillworm ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LVL: 3**

"I activate the Spell card, Tentacluster Shoal, from my hand!" The card showed a group of Tentacluster Drillworm swimming together. "This card lets me target 1 'Tentacluster' monster I control, and then Special Summon two copies of that monster from my deck to my field, as long as it has 1000 or less attack points!" Soon, two more copies of Drillworm appeared.

**Tentacluster Drillworm ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LVL: 3**

**Tentacluster Drillworm ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LVL: 3**

"Everything is set!" an operator said. "Commencing Link Summon!"

AI-C produced a red light with its hands. "Circuit open!" It then raised its left hand and formed the Link Portal above its head. "The summoning conditions are three 'Tentacluster' monsters. I set three Drillworms." The three Drillworms entered the bottom-left, bottom, and bottom-right arrows, turning each one red.

"Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 3! Tentacluster Nautilus!" A giant grey mollusk with blue innards and tentacles was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Tentacluster Nautilus ATK: 0 LINK-3** ↙️⬇️↘️

"Excellent!" Kitamura exclaimed. "Have Prototype C continue his turn!"

"A Link 3 monster with no attack points," Raguel muttered. "I smell something fishy. Thoughts, Herald?"

"As they say, Raguel, looks can be deceiving." Herald agreed with him. "If I were you, I'd be prepared for its effect."

"Tentacluster Nautilus' effect!" AI-C said. "When this card is Link Summoned, I can Special Summon a 'Tentacluster' monster from my hand to a zone it points to! Therefore, I Special Summon Tentacluster Shellpod!" A hardened shell with its mouth open, revealing small tentacles in its mouth, was Special Summoned to the middle Main Monster Zone Nautilus was pointing to.

**Tentacluster Shellpod ATK: 0 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Nautilus' second effect! Once per turn, it targets all monsters it points to and destroys them!" Immediately, Shellpod exploded into particles.

"Shellpod's effect! As it was destroyed by a card effect, I can banish 1 'Tentacluster' monster from my Graveyard. By doing this, Shellpod's name becomes that monster's name, and it gains that monsters original effects until the end of my turn! I banish Drillworm, making Shellpod gain its effects and name until the End Phase!" AI-C said. "I activate Drillworm's effect! Since it was in attack position when it was destroyed by a card effect, I can send a random card from your hand to the Graveyard. If it was a monster, another random card is discarded from your hand to the Graveyard!"

The cards in Raguel's hand were randomly shown to AI-C. "I choose the third card on the right." The card then turned to face AI-C, revealing Cyreath Goblin. "As it was a monster-."

"Hey, dumbass!" Raguel interrupted. "That move cost you the duel! All because you forgot about Cyreath Goblin's effect! Since it was discarded by a card effect, you must send your entire hand to the Graveyard. Also, you take 300 points of damage for each card discarded by this effect! Go!" A silhouette of a green goblin with a toothy grin and carrying a sack of gold appeared on Raguel's field. Goblin ran towards AI-C and demanded the robot to discard it's hand. Upon doing so, Goblin smacked AI-C with his sack of gold five times, hitting it with a major loss in life points.

**AI-C: 4000 – 1500 = 2500 LP**

"Regardless, the effect of Drillworm continues!" AI-C responded. "You lose another random card from your hand!" Raguel's hand was randomly shown once again. "I choose the middle card!" The card revealed itself as Cyreath Launch before being sent to the Graveyard.

"You got no more moves to make!" Raguel taunted AI-C. "So end your turn already!"

"I... end my turn," AI-C concluded. "Chances of victory: 50%."

"Well, I'll make sure your chances at beating me is zero!" Raguel said. "My turn! I draw! First, I activate my Skill, Call of Olympus! I can Special Summon 1 random 'Cyreath' monster straight from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck. When he looked at the card, he raised an eyebrow. _Seriously_, Raguel thought. "Through my Skill, I summon Cyreath Gargoyle!" A small, blue gargoyle with large horns, stubby wings, and large hands with vicious claws appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Gargoyle ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

"Since I don't have a Link Monster, the second part of my Skill doesn't activate," Raguel added.

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of Raguel. "The summoning conditions are 1 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Gargoyle in the Link Marker!" Gargoyle immediately went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1 **⬇️

"Scorpius' effect! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Gargoyle!"

Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Gargoyle grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Gargoyle ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

"Next, I summon Cyreath Icarus!" An angelic warrior with a white tunic and brown sandals, carrying a modified bow joined the field.

**Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LVL: 3**

"Icarus' effect!" Raguel continued. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Cyreath Goblin, you're up!" The green goblin from earlier returned to the field beside Icarus.

**Cyreath Goblin ATK: 300 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A second Link Portal appeared ahead of Raguel. "The summoning conditions are 1 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Gargoyle once again in the Link Marker!" This time, Gargoyle went into the bottom-left arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Skull Wing!" A small skull with wings emerged from the Link Portal and onto the Main Monster Zone Scorpius was pointing to.

**Cyreath Skull Wing ATK: 300** **LINK-1** ↙️

"Appear, one more time!" Raguel declared. "The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A third Link Portal opened up ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Scorpius and Cyreath Skull Wing, which are both Link 1 monsters, and Cyreath Goblin, in the Link Markers!" Scorpius went into the top-left arrowhead, Skull Wing went into the top-right arrowhead, and Goblin went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"Skull Wing's effect! As it was used to Link Summon, you take 300 points of damage!" The spirit of Skull Wing appeared and bashed AI-C, causing it to momentarily lose balance on its duel board.

**AI-C: 2500 – 300 = 2200 LP**

"Time to end this! Battle!" Raguel said. "Cyreath Hercules attacks Tentacluster Nautilus! Nemean Strike!" Hercules charged forward and punched Nautilus with his gauntlet so hard it caused the mollusk to explode, causing AI-C to fall off its duel board and into the data storm, where it disappeared, never to be seen again.

**AI-C: 2200 – 2500 = 0**

"Huh?" Kitamura said, who was in shock at what he saw. "Someone tell me what happened!"

"Sir, we aren't getting a response from Prototype C," one of the operators said. "We can only assume that he's lost in the Data Storm."

"WHAT?!" Kitamura shouted, messing up his hair. "Raguel won through pure luck! Pure luck I tell you! Dispatch Prototype D to his location! He'll pay for defeating my AI!"

Before the operators could perform the task, another operator said, "Sir, Prototype A has been terminated."

Kitamura messed his hair up once again. "Idiots! Monitor Prototype B's progress! If Prototype B and Prototype D fail, you're all fired!"

_Meanwhile, in the databank..._

"Nice job, Yuhiro!" Roxy said, after hearing about Raguel's duel against AI-C. "I knew a simple AI wouldn't be able to defeat you."

"Correction: It wasn't able to defeat us." Herald stated. "A simple AI is _nothing_ compared to how an Ignis would duel."

Raguel couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I appreciate the support and praise, Roxy, but could you help me get back on track to the-." He couldn't finish his sentence, because another AI duelist suddenly teleported beside him. Unfortunately, it had the exact appearance as AI-C.

"Found Raguel," Prototype AI-D said. "Initiating Speed Duel."

"Scratch that, Roxy." Raguel said, who clearly was annoyed. "I got another tin can to dispose of."

"I can see that," Roxy grumbled. "Even though Kitamura's AI duelists lack imagination, he clearly makes a lot of them, don't you agree?"

Raguel couldn't help but nod as he turned to face the opponent he was about to duel. _No matter what stands in my way_, he thought, _I can't lose. There's too much at stake_.

"Speed Duel!" Raguel and AI-D shouted.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Prototype AI-D: 4000 LP**

"Sorry, Kitamura," Raguel shouted, "but I'm going first! My turn! First, I Set two cards face down. Next, I summon Cyreath Witch from my hand!" A sorceress with short purple hair and glowing pink eyes, as well as wearing a raggedy cape and skirt, joined Raguel's field. Her staff had a skull on it.

**Cyreath Witch ATK: 1200 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

"Cyreath Witch's effect!" Raguel declared. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to my field equal to the number of cards in my hand! Since I have three cards in my hand, I can Special Summon up to three 'Cyreath Skeleton tokens to my field! However, I have only two Main Monster Zones available, so I therefore Special Summon two 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens!" Two small skeletons carrying short swords were raised from the dead, appearing on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal immediately opened up for Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set the two 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens in the Link Markers!" One Skeleton token went into the top arrowhead, while the other Skeleton token went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the right Extra Monster Zone. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"I end my turn." Raguel concluded. "Let's see what you can do, scrap-heap!"

"My turn!" AI-D said. "I draw! First, I pay 500 life points to Special Summon Tentacluster Darkwhip from my hand!" A blue mechanical crab appeared on AI-D's field.

**AI-D: 4000 – 500 = 3500 LP**

**Tentacluster Darkwhip ATK: 100 DEF: 500 LVL: 2**

"Next I activate the Spell card, Machine Duplication! This card lets me Special Summon two copies of a Machine monster from my deck to my field with 500 or less attack points!" Soon, two more copies of Darkwhip appeared on AI-D's field.

**Tentacluster Darkwhip ATK: 100 DEF: 500 LVL: 2**

**Tentacluster Darkwhip ATK: 100 DEF: 500 LVL: 2**

"It's summoning Tentacluster Nautilus, isn't it?" Raguel asked Herald.

"Unfortunately so." Herald confirmed. "But this AI is using different monsters to Link Summon it. Therefore, I would be wary of those Darkwhip's, Raguel."

"Circuit open!" AI-D said as it produced a red light in it's right hand. It then used that light to form a Link Portal above it's head. "The summoning conditions are three 'Tentacluster' monsters! I set three Darkwhips!" The three Darkwhips entered the bottom-left, bottom, and bottom-right arrowheads, turning each of them red.

"Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 3! Tentacluster Nautilus!" A giant grey mollusk with blue innards and tentacles was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Tentacluster Nautilus ATK: 0 LINK-3** ↙️⬇️↘️

"Nautilus' effect! When this card is Link Summoned, I can Special Summon a 'Tentacluster' monster from my hand to a zone it points to! I Special Summon Tentacluster Blastsucker from my hand." A small blue and purple jellyfish monster was summoned to one of the two Main Monster Zones Nautilus was pointing to.

**Tentacluster Blastsucker ATK: 400 DEF: 400 LVL: 2**

"I activate the Continuous-Spell, Abyss Invitation!" AI-C said, activating a Continuous-Spell card from it's hand. "Then I summon a second Blastsucker from my hand." A second Blastsucker was summoned to the other Main Monster Zone Nautilus was pointing to.

**Tentacluster Blastsucker ATK: 400 DEF: 400 LVL: 2**

"I activate Nautilus' other effect! Once per turn, it targets all monsters it points to and destroys them. However, I activate the effect of Blastsucker. If it's targeted by a Link Monster's effect, I can destroy it, and inflict 400 points of damage to you!" One of the Blastsuckers behind Nautilus immediately exploded, making Raguel's arm fizzle in the process.

**Raguel: 4000 – 400 = 3600 LP**

"If you take 500 or less points of effect damage, I can activate the effect of Abyss Invitation!" AI-D continued. "You take an additional 200 points of damage!" This time, Raguel's shoulder fizzled.

**Raguel: 3600 – 200 = 3400 LP**

Kitamura, who was watching the duel, cheered. "Excellent work, Prototype D! Wipe out Raguel's life points piece by piece!" On the screen, it showed the second Blastsucker exploding, making Raguel's other shoulder fizzle.

**Raguel: 3400 – 400 = 3000 LP**

"Abyss Invitation's effect activates once again!" AI-D said.

**Raguel: 3000 – 200 = 2800 LP**

Raguel scowled. "Using Blue Angel's strategy like that? How despicable. It won't work on me, and it definitely won't defeat me now!"

"Oh really?" Kitamura replied. "Let's test that, shall we, Prototype D?"

"I activate the effect of Blastsucker from my Graveyard." AI-D said. "By banishing it from my Graveyard, you take 400 points of damage!"

**Raguel: 2800 – 400 = 2400 LP**

"Abyss Invitation's effect!"

**Raguel: 2400 – 200 = 2200 LP**

"I banish the second Blastsucker from my Graveyard to use its effect! You take another 400 points of damage!" Raguel rolled his eyes as his leg fizzled, causing him to lose balance on his duel board for a split-second before regaining it.

**Raguel: 2200 – 400 = 1800 LP**

"Abyss Invitation's effect!"

**Raguel: 1800 – 200 = 1600 LP**

"I activate the Spell card, Tentacluster Scramble!" The card showed several Tentacluster Darkwhip reaching a coral reef, with the goal of using it for nutrients. "This card lets me destroy 1 Spell or Trap card you control if I control a 'Tentacluster' monster. I will destroy your face-down card in the middle!" Tentacluster Scramble fired a swarm of pebbles at Raguel's face-down card, destroying it. However, Raguel smirked.

"Not smart, Kitamura!" Raguel said. "I activate the effect of Cyreath Salvation! If it's destroyed by a card effect, I can Special Summon a 'Cyreath' monster from my hand, deck, or Graveyard! Thus, I Special Summon Cyreath Cackling Juggler!" A small skeleton with small bombs in its knapsack appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Cackling Juggler: ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Cackling Juggler's effect!" Raguel added. "When it's summoned, for each 'Cyreath' monster I control, it gains 1 'Bomb' counter! Since I control three 'Cyreath' monsters, I can place three bomb counters!" The small skeleton soon became nervous, as it started juggling three bombs at once.

**Cyreath Cackling Juggler BC: 0 + 3 = 3**

"I activate my Continuous-Spell card, Flexible Tentacluster!" AI-D suddenly said. "The first time I would take battle damage from an attack involving a 'Tentacluster' monster, I do not!"

"That's where you're wrong, tin-can!" Raguel countered. "I activate the effect of Cyreath Eunomia from my hand! By sending her from my hand to the Graveyard, I can negate the activation of a card effect and banish it!" A woman with silver hair, carrying a silver sword and a small court scale, briefly appeared on Raguel's field. The woman wore a black and white dress, with a diamond choker. Eunomia threw the silver sword at Flexible Tentacluster, causing the card to vanish into particles.

"I end my turn," AI-D concluded.

"Even with the minor set-back, AI-D will not lose!" Kitamura declared.

"But didn't Raguel defeat Prototype C?" one of the operators asked the operator beside them. Kitamura, unfortunately, heard them.

"Raguel GOT LUCKY!" he shouted at them. "This time, he'll lose!" _And once Raguel loses_, Kitamura thought, _I'll make sure he's arrested and brought to the higher-ups. After all, is it me, or do I see him holding an AI like Playmaker's on the screens,_ he wondered. Nevertheless, with Raguel's loss, Kitamura will obtain good favor with his higher-ups. And with these AI-duelists, he'll eventually be promoted, which will lead to him being recognized all over Den City. Not as a washed-up scrub, but as one of the key-figures in SOL Technologies. _Once this turn is over, my dreams will become reality_, he thought as he watched Raguel begin his turn on the screen.

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said. "Hey, Herald. I've had enough of these AI duelists, don't you agree?"

"You've said it," Herald agreed. "They're distracting us from our goal. Which is why we need to ensure they can't follow us from here."

"Wait. Are you suggesting-?" Raguel was about to ask when Herald nodded.

"I'm not sure what would happen if you Link Summoned Turboblaze Dragon in a Speed Duel," Herald wondered, "but we must make sure we get to the mother computer ASAP. After all, no guts, no glory, am I right?"

Raguel smiled as he nodded. "Alright then! Let's give it a shot! First, I activate the effect of Cackling Juggler! By removing all the 'Bomb' counters it had, I can inflict 300 points of damage for each 'Bomb' counter removed by this effect! Bomb Derby!" Cackling Juggler threw all three bombs at AI-D at once, causing AI-D to momentarily stagger before regaining it's balance.

**AI-D: 3500 – 900 = 2400 LP**

Raguel then thrust his right hand in front of him. "Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I'll set Cyreath Chariot Commander, which is a Link 2 monster, Cyreath Witch, and Cyreath Cackling Juggler in the Link Markers!" Chariot Commander split into two and entered the top and bottom arrowheads, while Witch entered the left arrowhead and Cackling Juggler entered the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The Embodiment of Truth is given to mankind! Link 4! Turboblaze Dragon!" A white-color bipedal dragon with blue irises and black pupils, as well as a long and slender neck emerged from the Link Portal to the right Extra Monster Zone as he roared upon appearing on Raguel's field. He had a long, voluminous wispy mane streaming out from the upper side of his snout and outwards from his head, with two protrusions resembling ears on the top of the mane. His arms were slender and arm-like with a wing-like appearance and four fingers on his claws. He had a feathered chest, with long feather-like protrusions jutting out of his thighs. On his feet were large grey claws, three at the front and one positioned at the back to resemble high heels. He also had a jet engine-like tail, with two large bands similar to the front and ribbon like extensions.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 LINK-4 **⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️

Upon being summoned to Raguel's field, Turboblaze roared, causing fiery shockwaves all throughout the databank. Due to this, Raguel and AI-D had to maneuver their duel board's side to side to hang on.

"Sir!" one of the operators said. "The databank is experiencing some sort of anomaly!"

"What do you mean anomaly?" Kitamura demanded from the operator.

"For some reason, the system is treating the monster Raguel summoned like a virus, and is shutting down in order to try and purge it! The problem is, we don't know what it is!" the operator explained. All the screens at SOL Technologies were showing nothing but static.

_This isn't good!_ Kitamura thought_. If Raguel takes down the entire system, so much data will be lost. The blame will be put on me, and-_. He soon regained focus. He can still remedy the situation. "Get the screens back online right now!"

_At Raguel's duel..._

_In order to truly wield his power, you must be willing to bond with it, _were the words going through Raguel's head. Those words were spoken by Watchman during their duel. More words soon flowed through his head. _You must do the same for Turboblaze, or else you will continue to experience the pain you're experiencing now, _were Herald's words.

_If I don't get my act together_, Raguel thought, _the whole databank will be burned to a crisp!_

He closed his eyes, turned around and thrust a hand towards Turboblaze, with the intention of reaching him with his mind. _Turboblaze, please hear me_, he thought. _I Link Summoned you because I need you. Help me, and let's end this duel together!_ The dragon turned his head and saw Raguel in danger, leading him to calm down. As a result, both duelists were able to regain their balance.

"Raguel, I don't know what you did, but it worked!" Herald cheered. "We're still alive!"

"Indeed we are, Herald! Indeed we are!" Raguel replied, laughing. "Now let's finish this! I activate Turboblaze Dragon's first effect! When it's Link Summoned, the effects of all monsters you control are negated! Heat Veil!" The jet engine-like tail soon charged up before Turboblaze roared and unleashed waves of volcanic energy at Nautilus, covering the mollusk in burn marks.

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Turboblaze Dragon attacks Tentacluster Nautilus! Desolation Flare!" The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze charged up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at Nautilus.

"You're finished Kitamura!" Raguel said, as the orb of fire hit Nautilus, causing the mollusk to be burned by it. Upon impact, AI-D was also incinerated by the explosion as it's life points dropped to zero.

**AI-D: 2400 – 3000 = 0**

Unfortunately, the explosion was more powerful than Raguel thought, as it caused him to lose balance and fall forward off his duel board.

"This isn't good!" Raguel shouted as he started to plummet towards his demise. Or would have, had Turboblaze not flew underneath him, causing Raguel to land on his back.

"Raguel, open your eyes!" Herald said. "WE'RE NOT DEAD!"

When Raguel opened his eyes, he found himself on Turboblaze's back. "Oh my God, we're alive!" he shouted. "Thank you so much, Turboblaze!"

"You're welcome," Turboblaze said, causing Raguel's jaw to drop. "After all, in saving you, I've saved Herald as well."

"Wait. YOU CAN TALK AS WELL?!" Raguel asked, receiving a snort in confirmation. _Oh God_, Raguel thought. _If Turboblaze and Progleo can talk, does that mean all my other Cyreath monsters can talk as well_, he wondered.

"Oi! You still there?" Roxy asked, snapping Raguel out of his thoughts.

"Yup. I'm still alive," Raguel confirmed. "All AI duelists eliminated. Now all I need is to get back on track, and everything should be okay."

"Got it." Roxy sent Raguel the route to SOL's mother computer.

"Thanks." Looking at Turboblaze, he asked the dragon, "Do you know where SOL's mother computer is?"

"It's just up ahead." Turboblaze stated. "The both of you better hold on tight!" Turboblaze's tail charged up before firing off a jet of fire, making the dragon speed up. This led to Raguel holding onto Turboblaze for dear life.

_Meanwhile, at SOL Technologies..._

"Sir!" an operator said. "We're able to get the screens back online!"

"Excellent!" Kitamura replied. However, this moment of good news was interrupted by another operator.

"Sir, we're unable to find Prototype D! Playing the file footage right now!"

As Kitamura watched the file footage, he saw Raguel _incinerate_ both Tentacluster Nautilus and AI-D, securing him the victory.

"NOOOOO!" Kitamura screamed. He suddenly remembered the other two Prototype AI's. "What about Prototype B?"

"Blue Angel defeated Prototype B," one operator bluntly replied.

"YOU'RE FIRED!" Kitamura screamed at the operator. He took a deep breath and calmed down. "Easy does it now. I have to stay calm. Things can't get any worse."

The next thing Kitamura knew, another alert blared out. "Sir, just thought you'd like to know there are additional intruders in the databank."

"What?" Kitamura shouted. "Is it Raguel?" The screen switched to showing the core of the mother computer, and Kitamura was shocked at what he saw. "Zaizen! Of course!"

_Near the entrance to the mother computer..._

Thanks to Turboblaze, Raguel finally got back on route and approached the databank entrance. He got off of Turboblaze and raised his left arm, causing the dragon to turn into particles before returning to Raguel's Duel Disk.

"Let's never do that again," Raguel whispered to Herald, who treaded carefully just in case there were people again.

"Agreed." Herald replied. "There were several times when I thought I was going to go flying out of the Duel Disk."

When Raguel got near the entrance, he was surprised to see Blue Angel standing outside the door, looking inside.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, startling her.

"Hey! Don't do that!" Blue Angel whispered, before turning back. "My brother, Akira's here, along with Ghost Girl." Raguel scowled upon hearing that. He looked inside before going to the other side of the door.

Inside, Akira and Ghost Girl were standing in Playmaker's way, blocking access to the databank. Or, at the least, Akira was. Ghost Girl was annoyed with what Akira was doing because she had to put up with his idea.

"I see you've made it," Akira bluntly said.

"Zaizen," Playmaker said.

"Playmaker. I was waiting for you." Akira replied.

"Well, well. There's the grand prize: SOL Technologies' core." Ai said. "The whole world's information is in there, Playmaker, as well as the truth about your past."

"I'm afraid the information is off limits to you," Akira stated. "To the both of you."

"Zaizen. Ghost Girl. I see why the both of you are here. To stop me from getting access," Playmaker deduced.

"Well, I can't speak for Akira over here," Ghost Girl said, "but that's not why _I'm_ here." She brought up a glowing diamond and put it in her Duel Disk. "I'm after the data here too."

"You know, I bet you lost against us on purpose!" Ai accused Ghost Girl.

"Not true." Ghost Girl clarified. "Had I won that duel, I would have won you, my little friend. Gaining access to this place was the consolation prize. But a pretty great one. So whatever the outcome of our duel, I was making out just fine."

"So I can't convince you to move aside?" Playmaker interrupted.

"Obviously not." Akira replied. "That's why I'm standing in your way."

"So you know of the data that's stored in here?" Playmaker asked him.

"I learned it just now." Akira admitted. "What happened at SOL Technologies ten years ago. And more importantly, what happened to you."

Raguel's eyes widened, surprised at what he heard. SOL Technologies had something to do with the Incident? If so, what exactly did they do?

"I have the right to know what's stored there," Playmaker stated. "So move aside!"

"Now that's rude," Ghost Girl said, interrupting Playmaker. "Akira's all heart. He even gave up his career to save his sister. So you should watch your words because Akira has nothing left to lose. And there's no one more dangerous than that."

"Actually, I'm more dangerous for three reasons." Playmaker replied. "One: My deck is constructed to defeat any and all challengers. Two: My skills are razor sharp. Three: I'm duelling with a purpose. And you're getting in the way of that purpose."

Akira closed his eyes and sighed. "If it's the only way to break our stalemate, then so be it! We'll let our cards decide the matter! If I win, you must hand over your AI and leave! I'll promise to bring light to the incident and uncover the truth!"

"Very well," Playmaker said, agreeing to Akira's demands. "But if I win, you must step aside and let me access the mother computer. Do you agree with my terms?" Akira nodded his head in agreement.

_Playmaker's about to face a world of hurt_, Ghost Girl thought, as their duel started. _While Akira rarely duels, when he does, never does he lose_.

Raguel turned to Blue Angel. "What deck does your brother use, Blue Angel?" he asked. She didn't answer and kept watching the duel. "Blue Angel? Are you there?"

Blue Angel gasped and turned to Raguel. "Sorry! I guess I didn't hear you! What was your question again?"

Raguel raised an eyebrow. "Is everything okay? You seem... off."

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine," Blue Angel said, turning back to the duel. "As for the deck my brother uses, you'll see soon enough."

Raguel narrowed his eyes when Akira summoned Tindangle Base Gardna. Although Raguel wasn't aware of the Tindangle archetype, he was intrigued by how much defense points it had.

_Playmaker can get through that for sure_, Raguel thought. And his thoughts were confirmed when Playmaker brought out Decode Talker and summoned two monsters to two of its Link Markers.

In response, Akira used Base Gardna's effect to Special Summon Tindangle Hound. When his turn came, Akira activated his Trap Card Lemoine Point to prevent Playmaker from attacking his face-down monsters. To counter that move, Playmaker Link Summoned Flame Administrator during his turn, boosting the attack points of all his monsters by 800.

Unfortunately for Playmaker, Akira Flip-Summoned Tindangle Angel, resurrected Tindangle Hound in face-down defense position, and ended the Battle Phase.

"You seeing this, Herald?" Raguel whispered to him.

"I am." Herald confirmed. "Akira Zaizen, the man Playmaker's dueling, has an interesting archetype. From what I'm seeing, it focuses on flip effects and locking down the opponent's moves."

"Flip decks are a pain in the ass, trust me," Raguel told Herald.

"Playmaker, I believe you're approximately the same age as my sister Aoi." Raguel refocused on Akira after hearing him say that.

"And what's your point?" Playmaker asked Akira.

"He trying to set you two up on a date?" Ai interjected.

"I mention it because you're not the only one who suffered a decade ago," Akira bluntly replied. He closed his eyes. "You see, Aoi and I didn't have a wonderful childhood either."

"What's he talking about?" Ai asked.

"Ten years ago, Aoi and I lost our parents." Raguel gasped and glanced at Blue Angel, who had a sad but curious expression on her face.

Akira reopened his eyes. "We had no family. No home, no money. Strangers stole our parents inheritance, making it Aoi and I against the entire world. I may have only been sixteen, but Aoi was six when our parents died in that traffic accident." He seethed before he continued. "I had to grow up fast in order to survive. And I had to do anything, even dirty work in order to ensure survival for myself and Aoi."

Roxy, who heard Akira's story because of Raguel, couldn't help but sympathize with Akira. She remembered that day, when Barbara arrived and told her about her sister and brother-in law's deaths by the hands of a murderer. If Miyu didn't faint in shock upon witnessing the act, she would have been dead too.

Akira continued his story. "It was a dark time. However, a glimmer of light kept me going. And that light was Aoi. Making her happy and safe meant the world to me." Akira refocused on Playmaker. "I would've broken down if someone kidnapped her from me."

Blue Angel gasped at that last part. "Kidnapped?" she repeated. "What does he mean?"

Roxy's sympathy for Akira disappeared instantly. She clenched his fists. "How dare you..." she muttered angrily. Roxy thought of the girl in the hospital, how she was in a coma because of what happened. How, because of what she had been through, she couldn't have the same life that everyone her age can enjoy. Did Akira just compare what happened to him and Aoi to what happened to Yuhiro and Miyu?

"You dare..." Blue Angel turned to Raguel on hearing him say that. His expression was filled with pure anger, and his fists were clenched. "You dare compare your tragedy to mine? As if it were _nothing_?"

"Raguel?" Blue Angel asked, now concerned for him. However, her attention was quickly drawn back to her brother.

"You've suffered enough." Akira said. "Let me handle this so you don't have to."

Unfortunately, those words couldn't have been anymore wrong, as Playmaker growled. "You know nothing... YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME!" he shouted, causing Akira to gasp at Playmaker's statement.

"Playmaker's right, Zaizen!" Raguel said, entering into the databank and walking so he could be beside Playmaker. "You know nothing about us! Nothing at all!"

"So unless you understand what is really going on," Herald said, emerging from Raguel's Duel Disk, "I suggest you back off now!"

"Raguel?" Playmaker asked, turning to face him. The fact that he emerged and was willing to stand with him on this matter surprised him.

Akira was shocked at what he was seeing. "You have an Ignis too, Raguel?"

"Yeah, I do." Raguel replied. "But I bet that means nothing to you right now, doesn't it Akira? No. The fact that you would compare your tragedy to ours, it takes a lot of guts, don't you agree?" he seethed in fury. He calmed down before continuing. "Based on what I heard, I know you have a good heart, but there are things out there you just couldn't understand unless you experience it!"

"Zaizen. I know you have pure intentions as well," Playmaker added, "but you truly don't understand our plight. You may have had your own struggles, but you didn't live through mine, nor did you live through Raguel's. Therefore, I must end this." Upon hearing Playmaker say that, Raguel raised an eyebrow. _He seriously thinks he's on his own_, Raguel wondered. _When this duel is over, I seriously need to talk and convince him to form an alliance. At least until the time comes for me to duel him and complete my assignment._

"You're wrong. Both of you," Akira countered. "There is always another solution."

"He has two ears and doesn't know how to use them," Ai told Playmaker. "This is our fight. Hello!"

"For once, I agree with Ai on this matter," Herald added. "You really don't understand what happened ten years ago!" Upon hearing Herald call Ai by his name, he was filled with joy.

"I knew you would call me by my name and not make fun of it!" Ai cheered.

"Don't jinx it." Herald replied in response.

"Playmaker." Playmaker's attention refocused onto Akira. "Do you still intend on continuing the duel?"

"I do." Playmaker responded.

"Very well! Resume the duel!"

Meanwhile, Blue Angel, who was watching the duel, was shocked with hearing everything that she heard. _Both Raguel and Playmaker were involved in the incident that occurred ten years ago_, she thought. The only question she had was: What happened?

Raguel watched as Akira Flip Summoned Tindangle Hound and flipped Tindangle Angel face-down. He could tell that both monsters were annoying Playmaker, especially when Tindangle Hound destroyed Flame Administrator and Decode Talker lost attack points faster than when it gained attack points.

_What an interesting combo_, Raguel thought_. Tindangle Hound and Tindangle Angel represent the Zaizen siblings. The brother protects the sister, and should the brother lose, the sister will resurrect the brother. That is the power of bonds_, he realized.

When Playmaker began his turn, he summoned Balancer Lord and then Encode Talker. Why would he do that? Tindangle Hound limited the power of Link Monsters. So what was Playmaker-?

Raguel's eyes widened with surprise upon seeing Playmaker use Encode Talker and Balance Lord to Link Summon the Link 4 Firewall Dragon. _He has a Link 4 too_, Raguel thought. He smirked. Now this was about to get really good.

"No way." Akira gasped. "That's Firewall Dragon. That's the monster you used to defeat Revolver." He then regained his focus. "But I'll have you know, Playmaker. I'm no Revolver."

Right after Playmaker Link Summoned Firewall Dragon, he immediately activated Linkage Hole, letting him destroy a monster for each Link 3 or higher monster he had. As Playmaker had two of those monsters, he therefore destroyed Tindangle Hound and Tindangle Angel.

"Akira!" Blue Angel worryingly said when Akira was sent flying back by Decode Talker's direct attack. Luckily, he landed on his feet.

Akira responded by activating Tindangle Delaunay, which destroyed Decode Talker and allowed him to summon his ace monster: Tindangle Acute Cerberus. In addition, it gained 3000 attack points because Tindangle Hound and Tindangle Angel were in the Graveyard.

_A Cerberus as an ace monster_, Raguel thought. _Not too shabby. Hopefully, I won't have to fight one of those in the future. _

When Akira declared an attack with Acute Cerberus, Playmaker immediately activated his Doppler Phase Coating to protect Firewall Dragon, even though he still took damage. Even after Firewall Dragon survived, Akira wasn't done. He activated his Gergonne's End Trap card, which not only protected Acute Cerberus from Playmaker's cards, it also had an effect that would inflict up to 4500 points of damage to Playmaker.

Playmaker tried to make a comeback by using Alert Lancer to destroy Akira's Tindangle token, but Akira activated Morley's shield to prevent him from taking further battle damage. He also activated Nagel's Protection, which prevented Playmaker from destroying Tindangle monsters in the Main Monster Zones. The worse part of Nagel's Protection was that all damage from Acute Cerberus was doubled.

_Akira has made the ultimate immovable object_, Raguel thought. _While_ _Playmaker is trying to unleash an unstoppable force that will help him win the duel_. The question in Raguel's head was: What happens once the unstoppable force met an immovable object?

"I Set a card and end my turn," Playmaker concluded.

"Against my deck, you can't do anything," Akira stated. "But you still have a chance to walk away from your quest for revenge once and for all. Trust me to handle this, and return to your normal life. Go to school and enjoy the days of your youth with your friends. Otherwise, by being obsessed with the past, you'll watch the chance for happiness slip by you. Just like it did to me..."

Raguel frowned. Never had he once considered stopping in repaying his debt to Roxy. If he one day decided to stop helping Roxy and Miyu, he would be dishonoring everything she did for him. And in the process, he'd deny any possible chance of Miyu waking up.

"Akira!"

Raguel turned around, as well as Playmaker, to see Blue Angel run into the databank.

"Aoi?" Akira said, who was surprised to see her here.

"Blue Angel..." Playmaker said, who was still not sure why she was here. While she claimed to owe him a debt, her being here in the databank proved that she was here for something else.

"I heard a lot of stuff about the past this and the past that," Blue Angel said as she kept walking. She turned to Playmaker. "Therefore, before this duel ends, I want to know what happened ten years ago. To both Playmaker and Raguel." She then turned to her brother. "Please, Akira!"

"Aoi," Akira said, with a worried look on his face. While he understood why she wanted to hear the story, it was certainly not a pleasant one. He sighed with resignation. "Very well. I will tell you what happened."

"Story time!" Ai interjected.

"There was an incident," Akira began, "known among inner circles as the Lost Incident. Eight children went missing, mysteriously vanishing one by one. Because a secret organization took them!"

"Took them?!" Blue Angel repeated.

"And two of the children were Playmaker and Raguel," Ghost Girl stated.

"You were?" Blue Angel asked, turning to the boys. "No way! I'm so sorry." Raguel gritted his teeth in response to that.

"Yuhiro..." Roxy muttered. She didn't want Raguel to relieve those awful days. They were filled with nothing but dread and pain.

"That's enough, Zaizen," Playmaker said. "You will not continue the story. I will continue it from here."

"Playmaker..." Blue Angel said, facing him. Unlike Raguel, Playmaker was willing to talk about it.

"After we were kidnapped, we were imprisoned separately." Raguel's eyes widened upon being forced to relieve those days.

A young Yuhiro opened his eyes and looked around. It was a white room, with a screen on one end with several strange symbols underneath it. And on the ground in front of him...

"_The room contained nothing but VR equipment_."

Yuhiro picked up the white headset and put it on. Perhaps it would help him figure out where he was.

"_The headset showed a duel field, where we were forced to duel. We had to win, because if we didn't-_."

The screen turned red and a voice said, "You lose!" Yuhiro screamed with pain and surprise as he was electrocuted. He was sent flying back and landed on his stomach, with the VR headset falling off. While he was gasping with pain, he looked at the screen, where there were white blobs. The white blobs then zoomed out to show a white pupil with an orange eye and a creamy-pearl iris.

A small drone descended from an opening in the ceiling, carrying a juice box, a spoon, gelatin, a chocolate bar, and some vitamins. Yuhiro just grabbed the gelatin and wolfed it down.

"_Eat. Sleep. Duel. Repeat. Eat. Sleep. Duel. Repeat. That's all we were permitted to do. If we lost, the eat portion went away._"

"Duel after duel. Hour after hour. Day after day. Wondering why we're here, and why life decided to deal us this hand," Playmaker said, pain not being shown on his face. "We wondered if it would even end at all!"

"How horrible..." Blue Angel said, her eyes watering. "Who would do this to children?" Then she turned to Raguel and gasped. He had a look of despair on his face as he shut down, one that contained a complete loss of hope, as well as worry for the future. His fists were clenched, and his entire body shook as he grit his teeth. Seeing him like this... made Blue Angel realize something.

That day when they were partners for a cooking project, Yuhiro Furutani had that same look of despair as he talked about why he wasn't going to bother using her for his own gain.

Then there was the time when Raguel met a gentleman in a private server, who went by the name of Watchman. She heard him call Raguel by his real life identity: Yuhiro Furutani. And combined with how Raguel was handling all this information confirmed one thing.

Raguel was Yuhiro Furutani this whole time.

Playmaker continued talking. "No one told us where we were or how long we've been captive."

Akira spoke up. "But half a year later, the incident suddenly ended." This brought another memory back to Raguel, the day he was rescued.

Yuhiro just lost another duel, causing him to be overcome with shocks as he hit the wall. The headset fell of his head. As Yuhiro, who was consumed by pain, struggled to get up, he was surprised by what a voice told him.

"You may go home now," the voice told him. Yuhiro gasped, unsure if this was true. He tried to stand up, but the screen suddenly turned blank, causing the eye to disappear. Suddenly, the door opened, and light from the sun flooded the room. Rescue workers stormed into the room and rushed towards him. One rescue worker, who Yuhiro would get to know for years to come, carried him out of the woods and to the police station.

"_You were rescued_."

Raguel snapped back to reality and focused on what Akira just said.

"The culprit was never found though. In fact, the whole Lost Incident was covered up so the public would never know that it occurred."

"Akira, what about Playmaker's-?" Blue Angel was about to ask when Ghost Girl quickly answered her.

"His identity isn't in here Blue Angel," she said. "The country's S Rank Protection program protects the identities of the eight children. Thus, his identity nor the others are in here."

"Zaizen, do you honestly think we were saved?" Playmaker saved. Akira looked surprised at Playmaker's question. "We weren't saved at all!" Raguel glared at Blue Angel as she looked at him worryingly, scaring her.

"There are three reasons why I must learn the motive behind the Lost Incident," Playmaker continued. "One: I can only move past my suffering when I know why I had to suffer in the first place. Two: To save those who were afflicted by the ramifications of what we had to endure. Three: When I was about to give up back there, one voice kept me going." In hearing those three reasons, it brought up a third memory for Raguel.

Yuhiro found himself lying on the ground, exhausted from the pain he had to endure. The six-year old didn't know how much he could take, nor did he know how long he could maintain his sanity. But then...

"You can make it through this," a voice told him. "You just have to remember these three things. One: If you give up now, there won't be a next time. Two: You can't win if you don't believe you can win. Three: Just because it's tough now doesn't mean it will always be."

"Who are you?" Yuhiro asked. "Where are you? Are you trapped here too?"

"Three," the voice continued. "That's all you need. Just three simple reasons can help you get through anything."

"Okay. Three things," Yuhiro said, understanding what the voice was telling him.

"That's right. Just don't give up hope."

"_The reason I'm here today is because of that voice. Whoever that was wasn't among the rescued, so if he's still captured, I must rescue him._"

Raguel pulled himself out of that memory and refocused on Playmaker.

"Zaizen. You speak of the Lost Incident as though it ended a decade ago. But it for me, it still hasn't ended."

Playmaker continued talking. "I received treatment for many years, trying to forget the Incident. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn't forget."

Raguel thought back to his own life a decade ago. After the Incident, he was taken in by the Den City Shelter. There, the other kids tried to bring him into their games and the adults tried to help him, as did the therapists. But nothing would work.

However, there was one man who wouldn't give up on him. The same man who rescued him, helped him get used to life in the shelter. In time, the man taught him about Duel Monsters, which led to him being able to spend time with the other kids.

Five years later, Roxy came and adopted him. Raguel had to admit, during the first few years of being with her, it was hard for him. This was because he was so used to life in the shelter that it was a huge change for him.

Eventually, Roxy took him with her to visit Miyu, to show him that he wasn't the only one who went through the same Incident. Upon seeing her for the first time, Raguel felt that he owed Roxy for everything she did for him. He also wanted to make sure that Miyu could smile and enjoy life again with her aunt as well, hopefully bringing happiness back for the both of them.

That desire led to him volunteering back at the shelter, where he could see the man once again. He was even able to make a friend there, which surprised him.

Sadly, even after doing all these things, the nightmares still kept coming.

"This pain would only grow as I grew older," Playmaker said, drawing Raguel back in. "The nightmares would come every night. It was as if I was falling into a bottomless chasm of despair. But I realized that if I didn't want to break, I had to climb out on my own." Raguel understood what Playmaker was saying. It was here where Yusaku Fujiki became Playmaker.

"That day, I decided to confront my own destiny, and confront the demons that haunt me. So I started to investigate every detail about the Lost Incident, looking for every bit of information that might prove useful, no matter how insignificant," Playmaker continued saying to Akira. "One day, I found a piece of information that was useful. The Lost Incident went by another name: The Hanoi Project."

"The Hanoi Project?" Blue Angel repeated. "So you're saying the Knights of Hanoi had something to do with the Lost Incident?"

"That's why I fight against the Knights of Hanoi," Playmaker answered her.

"Circumstantial, but logical," Ai concluded.

"I see," Akira said. "But if that's the extent of your knowledge, then you're missing one crucial detail."

"What do you mean?" Playmaker asked him.

Akira glanced to the core behind him. "Within the database, I found the name of the mastermind behind the Hanoi Project."

"The name?" Playmaker repeated. Ai, Blue Angel, and Raguel gasped.

"Did he just say mastermind?" Roxy repeated with shock. "Zaizen knows who's responsible?"

"Zaizen... WHO IS IT?!" Playmaker demanded from Akira. Yet Akira stood there and did not answer.

"Answer me, Zaizen!" Playmaker repeated. "Who is the mastermind?"

"I should have kept my big mouth shut," Akira finally said. "If I tell you, it will not only increase your hatred, it will turn you into someone you don't want to become!" He turned to Raguel and pleaded, "I don't want that to happen to you as well."

"That's enough," Raguel said to Akira, making him gasp. But this didn't stop Akira from continuing.

"Raguel, please let me-."

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" Raguel screamed, causing a pillar of light to erupt from his body. As a result, everyone had to shield their eyes.

When everyone lowered their arms, they were shocked upon looking at Raguel. His grey eyes now glowed burning red, and he also had a hazy, white aura pulsating throughout his body. A translucent shadow of an angel floated behind him as well. As he started walking towards Akira, each step he took shook the ground.

"AHHHH!" Ai screamed upon looking at the shadowy angel behind Raguel. "Something's wrong with him!"

"I can definitely see that, Ai!" Playmaker agreed with him. His Link Sense was definitely firing off upon seeing this. He could not only sense anger coming out of Raguel, but... sadness as well.

"I've had enough relieving this tale," Raguel told Akira, only in a deeper, echoing voice. "If I have to get through you and Ghost Girl to get access to the mother computer, then so be it!" Once Raguel stopped walking, the shadowy angel behind him screamed, causing shockwaves that pushed everyone around him back. It was so powerful that Acute Cerberus had to take a few steps back out of fear that it would be destroyed.

Just when the shockwaves were about to get worse, a voice spoke.

"That is enough."

Soon, a massive orange square resembling a gateway appeared. Watchman stepped out of the gateway and into the databank.

"Watchman?!" Raguel said as he turned to him, his voice filled with fear and fury. The shadowy angel tried to attack Watchman upon seeing him, but Watchman thrusted out his right hand, causing the angel to be encased in an orange cube.

"It seems you once again awaken your powers," Watchman said as he shrunk the cube, causing the angel pain. "I will help you control them at a different time. For now, it's time to bring you back to your senses." With two hands, Watchman crushed the angel, destroying it. Unfortunately, it caused Raguel to scream in pain before falling to the ground.

"Raguel!" Blue Angel shouted as she rushed over to him. The white aura surrounding him, as well as the red glow in his eyes, disappeared as she turned him over to his side. "Hey! Are you okay?" As for everyone who saw what Watchman did, they were in complete shock.

"I'm... fine," Raguel replied in his own voice, as he got up with Blue Angel's help. Whatever happened zapped him of his strength. "What... took you so long, Watchman?"

"My apologies," Watchman replied, "but SOL Technologies' defenses took some time to break through." He turned to Playmaker and Ai. "It is good to see you again, Dark Ignis. And it is indeed an honor to meet you at last Playmaker."

"Who are you?" Playmaker demanded. "And how do you know Ai?"

He chuckled. "Not a bad name for your Ignis. And as for your question, you may call me Watchman." He then noticed something. "We're being watched." His eyes turned bright orange, eliminating any feed that could be observing them.

Kitamura, who had been watching all the events occurring in the mother computer, was shocked to see his computer screen turn into static. "NO, NO, NO!" he shouted. He then pressed a button on his phone. "Get the feed on the mother computer back online right now! The information found can still be saved! HURRY UP!"

"Yes, sir," an operator responded.

_Meanwhile, in the mother computer..._

After making sure no one else was watching them, Watchman turned to Akira. "Akira Zaizen. The former security chief of SOL. I am glad that good men like you exist in this world. Which is why I request that you step aside. Let Playmaker, Raguel, and I access the mother computer. In exchange, perhaps we can work out a compromise."

"Never!" Akira responded. "Playmaker and Raguel already suffered enough as it is! I will be the one to bring light to the Incident, and bring everyone involved to justice."

"Do not make me ask again," Watchman warned, as his eyes turned bright orange. "Something bigger than yourself is coming. Regardless of what you think, there's a role for you in the Crisis to come."

Akira didn't budge. Instead, he turned to Ghost Girl. "Ghost Girl. If you defeat this 'Watchman', I'll pay you double for the help. I will take care of Playmaker."

Ghost Girl shrugged her shoulders. "Very well. And here I thought I wasn't going to get a slice of the action." As she walked forward to face Watchman, the orange cube in front of him turned into a Duel Disk.

"Emma Beesho. The Mercenary woman," Watchman stated. "You have so much potential. Yet you choose to waste it for your own personal gain. Despite this, I see a role for you in the Crisis as well."

"It doesn't matter how I use my talents," Ghost Girl replied, activating her Duel Disk. "Just as long as I get paid in the end."

"Duel!" the two duelists shouted.

**Ghost Girl: 4000 LP**

**Watchman 4000 LP**

The entire duel field was soon briefly covered by a spread of orange cubes from Watchman's side of the field to Ghost Girl's side of the field.

"What the-?" Ghost Girl said, who was confused as to what happened.

"Be assured. It's an unfortunate side-effect that occurs whenever I duel," Watchman replied.

Ghost Girl immediately regained focus. "I'll go first! My turn! I summon Altergeist Silquitous!" A light brown female monster with six wings on appeared on the field.

**Altergeist Silquitous ATK: 800 DEF: 1500 LVL: 2**

"Then I Set two cards face-down and end my turn," Ghost Girl concluded. _With Silquitous' effect_, Ghost Girl thought, _I can bounce back anything this 'Watchman' throws at me. Combined with Altergeist Protocol and Altergeist Hack, I should be able to survive this turn._

"My turn!" Watchman declared. "I draw!" He looked at his hand before continuing. "I summon Vijam the Cubic Seed from my hand!" A blue sphere with a large eye in the middle soon appeared on Watchman's field. It had two small wings and an antennae-like organ with an eye placed on top of it extending from its top.

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Hold it!" Ghost Girl interrupted him. "I activate Silquitous' effect! By returning 1 other 'Altergeist' card on my field to my hand, I can target 1 card you control and return it to your hand! I return Altergeist Hack to return Vijam to your hand!" Vijam exploded into orange, cubic particles before returning to Watchman's hand.

"In that case, I activate the Spell card, Double Summon," Watchman replied, continuing his turn. "This card lets me Normal Summon an additional time this turn. Reappear, Vijam the Cubic Seed!" At Watchman's command, Vijam reappeared.

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

_Ugh. Can't believe I fell for that move_, Ghost Girl thought. _If I waited a little longer, I could have used Altergeist Hack to negate and banish Double Summon. Regardless, I can't let this guy play any more mind games with me_.

"Now I shall show you a portion of my power!" Watchman declared. Vijam briefly disappeared into orange cubic particles once again before transforming into a new monster. "By tributing Vijam, I can Special Summon Geira Guile the Cubic King from my hand!" A green-colored bird with two wings emerged from the orange cubic particles. It had two wings, with four tuning prongs on each wing. There was also a tuning prong on each side of its lower body, as well as behind it. In the middle was it's eye, encased in a mouth containing a total of eight teeth.

**Geira Guile the Cubic King ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 2**

"Geira Guile's effects simultaneously activate!" Watchman continued. "By tributing Vijam, it not only gains 800 attack points, but it also inflicts 800 points of damage to you!" The tuning forks turned as Geira Guile fired a seismic blast of energy from its mouth, hitting Ghost Girl and pushing her slightly back.

**Geira Guile the Cubic King ATK: 0 + 800 = 800**

**Ghost Girl: 4000 – 800 = 3200 LP**

"Next, I play the Spell card, Cubic Karma!" Watchman added. "I target 1 'Cubic' monster on my field and then send any number of Vijams from my hand and/or deck to the Graveyard. Then my targeted monster gains 800 attack points for each Vijam sent to the Graveyard by this effect. Therefore, I'll have Geira Guile absorb two more Vijams to have it gain more power!" As Watchman sent two more copies of Vijam the Cubic Seed to the Graveyard, the two copies briefly appeared on the field before turning into orange, cubic particles. After Geira Guile absorbed the particles, it gained two new sets of wings as its strength increased.

**Geira Guile the Cubic King ATK: 800 + (800 X 2) = 2400**

"Battle! Geira Guile attacks Altergeist Silquitous! Cubic Tornado!" Geira Guile's mouth briefly closed before reopening and firing an orange, cubic tornado at Altergeist Silquitous, going through the female monster and ripping it to shreds. While Ghost Girl was pushed back once again, she managed to land on her feet.

**Ghost Girl: 3200 – 1600 = 1600 LP**

"Geira Guile's third effect!" Watchman continued. "After it battles, I can send it to the Graveyard, and then Special Summon up to two copies of Vijam the Cubic Seed from my Graveyard!" Geira Guile disappeared into orange particles before splitting into two and reforming into two copies of Vijam.

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Also, I can add its evolution Vulcan Dragni the Cubic King from my deck to my hand." As Watchman said this, he added Vulcan Dragni the Cubic King from his deck to his hand.

"If you think my turn is over," Watchman said, "it's just the beginning. I'll use a little more of my power! By tributing two copies of Vijam, I can Special Summon Vulcan Dragni the Cubic King from my hand!" Both Vijams briefly turned into orange cubic particles before combining to form a new monster on Watchman's field. This monster took the form of a demonic squid with six tentacles. Each tentacle had vice-grip blades, as well as blades on its feet. It had two eyes, one at the top, and one at the bottom.

**Vulcan Dragni the Cubic King ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 3**

"Vulcan Dragni's effects activate at the same time! By tributing two Vijams, not only does it gain 1600 attack points, but you get hit with an additional 800 points of damage!" Vulcan Dragni fired a cubic blast at Ghost Girl, causing her to shield her eyes from the explosion.

**Vulcan Dragni the Cubic King ATK: 0 + 1600 = 1600**

**Ghost Girl: 1600 – 800 = 800 LP**

"The battle still continues! Vulcan Dragni the Cubic King attacks you directly! Cubic Slicer Blast!" Vulcan Dragni fired a blast in the form of an X, which was headed directly for Ghost Girl!

_I can't lose like this_, Ghost Girl thought. "I activate the effect of Altergeist Kunquery from my hand!" Ghost Girl suddenly said. "If you declare an attack and I control an 'Altergeist' card, I can Special Summon this card from my hand and negate the attack!" A white female centaur-like monster soon appeared on Ghost Girl's field and blocked the X. She had a long red tail, with a golden spiked saddle, golden cuffs, a golden horn, and several wired strands with gold tips at the back of her head.

**Altergeist Kunquery ATK: 0 DEF: 2400 LVL: 5**

"And when Altergeist Kunquery is Special Summoned," Ghost Girl added, "I can target 1 face up card you control and negate its effects while it and this monster is on the field. I choose Vulcan Dragni the Cubic King!" Kunquery fired a blast from her golden horn at Vulcan Dragni, but...

"I activate the effect of Aum the Cubic Lotus from my hand!" Watchman interrupted her. "By banishing a 'Cubic' card from my Graveyard and sending this card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can place a 'Cubic' Counter on a face-up monster that doesn't have a counter. Also, I can return a 'Cubic' card from my hand to the Graveyard, except a Level 1 monster. I banish Vijam the Cubic Seed from my Graveyard to place a 'Cubic' Counter on Altergeist Kunquery!" A silhouette of a creature appeared on Watchman's field. The creature's face was a blue, flowery disk with one eye. It's slim body, arms, and small feet were covered with eyes as well.

Aum fired a sickly gray and orange blast of cubic particles from it's eyes at Kunquery, when...

"Continuous-Trap card, activate! Altergeist Protocol!" Ghost Girl countered. "Now the activation and effect of my Altergeist cards cannot be-!"

"Quick-Play Spell card, activate! Mystical Space Typhoon!" Watchman said, surprising Ghost Girl. "This card lets me target 1 Spell or Trap card on the field and destroy it! I choose Altergeist Protocol!" Immediately, a typhoon emerged from that card, destroying Altergeist Protocol. At the same time, the blast from Aum hit Kunquery, turning her into a rusty, old version of herself. As a result, Vulcan Dragni was saved.

"What did you do?!" Ghost Girl demanded from Watchman, startled to see Kunquery reduced to a weaker version of herself.

"Aum put a 'Cubic' counter on Kunquery," Watchman replied. "And as long as your monster has that counter, it cannot attack, nor activate its abilities!"

**Altergeist Kunquery CC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"Vulcan Dragni's third effect!" Watchman continued. "As it battled, I can send it to the Graveyard, and Special Summon up to three copies of Vijam the Cubic Seed from the Graveyard. However, there's currently two in my Graveyard, so I'll therefore send Vulcan Dragni to the Graveyard and bring both of them back!" Vulcan Dragni disappeared into orange particles before splitting into two and reforming into two copies of Vijam.

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

**Vijam the Cubic Seed ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"In addition, I can add the final evolution of the Cubic Kings, Indiora Doom Volt the Cubic Emperor, from my deck to my hand!" With Vulcan Dragni's effect, Watchman added Indiora Doom Volt the Cubic Emperor from his deck to his hand.

"Aum's second effect!" Watchman declared. "I can target 1 monster on the field with a 'Cubic' counter and destroy it, and by doing so, not only can I Special Summon this card from my Graveyard, it's name becomes Vijam the Cubic Seed as well! I target and destroy Altergeist Kunquery, which lets me bring back Aum from the Graveyard." Ghost Girl could do nothing but watch as Kunquery exploded into particles. Aum then was summoned to Watchman's field.

**Aum the Cubic Lotus ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Now I'll use even more of my power! By tributing two copies of Vijam the Cubic Seed and Aum the Cubic Lotus, whose name is treated as Vijam the Cubic Seed, I can Special Summon the Cubic Emperor itself! Behold, Indiora Doom Volt the Cubic Emperor!" The two Vijams and Aum turned into orange particles before merging together to form a white-colored beast with blue markings on its chest and arms. It's gigantic face resembled a demon, and it had massive claws on each of its hands. There was also an eyeball at the lower half of its body, with a clawed tripod for legs as well.

**Indiora Doom Volt the Cubic Emperor ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

Upon seeing this monster, Raguel felt the same fear he felt when he was up against Buster Gundil the Cubic Behemoth. Apparently, Blue Angel noticed, as she was filled with concern for Raguel upon looking at him.

"You dueled him, didn't you?" Blue Angel guessed, who was also in fear upon seeing the behemoth.

"I did. And I lost," Raguel replied. "Only he used different monsters against me. This monster, though..." If the Cubic Kings were anything like the Cubic Beasts he fought, then Ghost Girl was in for a world of hurt.

"The Cubic Kings and the Cubic Beasts," Herald muttered. "If Watchman is this powerful enough to wield both of them, who knows what other powers he has?" Raguel nodded in agreement with him.

"Indiora Doom Volt's effects activate at the same time!" Watchman said. "By tributing three Vijams, it gains 2400 attack points, as well as inflicts 800 points of damage to you!" A lightning bolt out of nowhere came down and attempted to hit Ghost Girl. However...

"I activate the effect of Altergeist Algorgon from my hand!" Ghost Girl said. "If I would take effect damage, I can Special Summon this card from my hand to field, and reduce it to zero!" A grey female monster with a grey tail and small snakes on her head appeared on Ghost Girl's field. Her body was also covered with pale lines. Algorgon raised her hands above her head, protecting Ghost Girl from the lightning bolt.

**Altergeist Algorgon ATK: 1400 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4**

**Indiora Doom Volt the Cubic Emperor ATK: 0 + 2400 = 2400 **

"Farewell, Ghost Girl!" Watchman said. He thrust out his right hand. "Battle! Indiora Doom Volt the Cubic Emperor attacks Altergeist Algorgon! Cubic Annihilation!" Indiora's face turned into a mechanical version of itself before firing a massive, orange beam at Algorgon, destroying the female monster. The force of the attack sent Ghost Girl flying backwards as well.

**Ghost Girl: 800 – 2400 = 0**

"What are you?" Ghost Girl muttered as she slowly got up.

"Someone who you cannot stop," Watchman replied. He then looked at the duel between Playmaker and Akira. "And it looks like the duel between those two is almost done."

Everyone present turned their heads to see Playmaker make his turn after surviving Gergonne's End. He used Firewall Dragon's effect to return Tindangle Angel and Tindangle Hound back to Akira's hand from the Graveyard. When Ai questioned that move, Playmaker said to him, "There's more to this move than you think, Ai." Raguel widened his eyes upon realizing what Playmaker was up to, while Watchman smiled.

As a result of Playmaker's move, Acute Cerberus' attack points went down to zero.

"Battle!" Playmaker continued. "Firewall Dragon attacks Tindangle Acute Cerberus! Tempest Terahertz!" As the blast of red energy went towards Akira, Blue Angel ran forward to try and shield her brother. When the smoke cleared though, Akira was shielding her from Firewall's attack instead, reducing his life points to zero.

"Akira!" Blue Angel cried as her brother fell. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," Akira reassured her.

Raguel watched as Playmaker's monsters disappeared and he headed towards the databank. "As promised, I'm taking the data." While Playmaker was busy with the data, Raguel walked towards Watchman.

"Mission success, wouldn't you agree?" Raguel asked him.

"Something like that," Watchman agreed with him. "I didn't expect to duel at all today, but it worked out in the end."

"If you mean me losing, then I guess it did." Raguel and Watchman turned to see Ghost Girl walking towards them. "What exactly are you?" Ghost Girl emphasized. "Those monsters..."

"They aren't like any other monster you faced," Raguel told her. "I suppose not even you know everything that's going on in LINK VRAINS, correct?"

"You're right on that," Ghost Girl replied. "And I'm guessing you're here for the data as well, Watchman?" Watchman nodded in response to her question.

The three of them watched as Playmaker walked from the mother computer. "Zaizen, stay away from the Incident and from me," he warned him. He was about to leave when Akira started talking.

"Playmaker," Akira said. "You could have attacked with Firewall Dragon much earlier to win the duel. So why didn't you? To extend my torment?"

To Akira's surprise, Playmaker shook his head. "If I attacked earlier, I wouldn't be able to revive your Tindangle Hound and your Tindangle Angel. They protected each other, like you two did. Cards like that don't deserve to be in the Graveyard, among the cold and dark. But I promise you they will if you interfere with me again."

Before Playmaker could try to leave again, Raguel spoke up. "Playmaker," he said, getting everyone's attention. "You say that good people shouldn't be in darkness. Unfortunately for me, everything I've done has led me to walk a dark path. I understand why you don't want help." He turned his head to Watchman and then to Herald. "But there are people that do care, to the point where they'll fight against the Hanoi if needed. You won't be able to stop anyone from making that choice. I promise you this, Playmaker: If they're responsible for what happened all those years ago..." He narrowed his eyes fiercely. "Then I'll fight with everything I got."

Playmaker didn't answer. Instead, he ran for the data stream and logged out.

Ghost Girl turned to Akira and Blue Angel and winked. "Be nice to each other," she said as she logged out.

"Well, that was anticlimactic at the end," Herald said, turning to Raguel. "But you completely scared me! What the heck man?"

"I'm sorry, Herald." Raguel apologized to Herald. "I guess I wasn't myself back there." He scratched the back of his head.

"Raguel. Watchman." Raguel and Watchman turned to see Akira speaking to them. "Based on what happened today, it seems unlikely for me to stop either of you from getting access as well." He then moved aside and gestured to the mother computer. "The data in the mother computer is yours. Take it."

"Thank you, Zaizen," Raguel said as he stepped forward, with Watchman following him.

Once they reached the mother computer, Raguel asked Herald, "Are you able to access it, Herald?"

Herald analyzed it before replying. "I'll be able to, but there's lots of data. It will take a few seconds."

"Do what you must," Raguel replied. After saying that, Herald transformed into a massive hydra and went into the databank, where he munched on several pieces of data from SOL Technologies. After returning back to the Duel Disk, he burped, satisfied with his meal.

"Now that was delicious!" Herald exclaimed, as the data was installed into Raguel's Duel Disk. Meanwhile, Watchman summoned the Spatial Cube and had it absorb the data from the mother computer as well.

"Our task is complete," Watchman stated. "We will talk once you return to the real world." An orange square resembling a gateway appeared, which he walked through to exit the databank.

"Raguel," Akira said, getting Raguel's attention as he walked away from the mother computer. "You are aware what having an Ignis means now, correct?"

"I do, Zaizen," Raguel admitted as he turned to face him. "From this point on, I'll be having a target on my back. But when you're fighting for someone important, it's ultimately worth it in the end. Just like your bond with Blue Angel." Akira smiled in response. He was about to log out when Blue Angel spoke up.

"Raguel, thank you for helping Playmaker and I earlier." She also smiled. "You're right when you say I don't understand what you went through, but I'm here should you need anything."

Raguel thought about it for a full minute before responding. "Perhaps," he said. "After all, anything can happen in the future. Farewell!" He logged out after saying that.

_At Café Matsuo..._

Yuhiro leaned against the wall, tired from the duels and relieving his memories, as well as what happened to him before Watchman arrived. He breathed heavily as he walked out of the sealed room and into the backroom. Roxy was there, waiting for him.

"Hey. Are you alright, Yuhiro?" Roxy asked, concerned for him. "Today wasn't easy for either of us, wasn't it?"

"It wasn't," Yuhiro replied as he fell into the chair next to Roxy. "But it was important. Now I finally know why Playmaker fights. And who knows, perhaps it'll reinforce why I fight too." He took his Duel Disk off and placed it on the desk. Herald emerged shortly after that.

"I guess you could say it was a victory for all of us." Herald said. "But are you sure you're okay, Yuhiro? For a moment there, you weren't yourself."

"What does Herald mean?" Roxy said. "Come on, you can tell me anything."

Yuhiro sighed. "Alright. But it will take a few minutes, so you might want to listen." After turning to Roxy, he told her of what happened during his duel against Infearno, how he gained the power needed to acquire Turboblaze Dragon. He also told her about how that same power consumed him after relieving his painful memories.

"If it weren't for Watchman," Yuhiro added, "I might have hurt someone. And the fact I wield this power now, it... scares me."

"I see." Roxy processed this information before continuing. "Then it's just something you need to conquer, Yuhiro. Just like how Playmaker decided to face his destiny instead of running from it. And," Roxy put a hand on Yuhiro's shoulder, "you're not alone. You have people who are with you as well."

Yuhiro smiled. "Thanks. I guess your pep talk worked." Roxy laughed in response to that.

"Glad that you feel better." She turned to the monitors. "Let's look at the data, shall we?"

Yuhiro plugged his Duel Disk and uploaded the information from the mother computer. After a lot of digging around, they found treasure. "Found something," Yuhiro said, as he clicked on a file. The file showed an old man with a grey beard and black and grey hair, as well as yellow eyes.

"Dr. Kiyoshi Kogami," Herald read. "Planned and executed the Hanoi Project."

"He must be the one responsible for what happened to Miyu, Fujiki, the others and I." Yuhiro realized.

"Looks like it," Roxy said, as she narrowed her eyes. "On his profile, it says that he was a researcher at SOL Technologies."

"So SOL was responsible for the Hanoi Project this time," Yuhiro said, gritting his teeth.

"I don't think so," Herald rebutted. "It says on his profile that Dr. Kogami worked on the project alone, but SOL was alerted by a whistleblower. I wonder what happened to him."

"And the file doesn't contain anyone else's names or information," Roxy added, frowning. "The file doesn't even contain the purpose of the Hanoi Project as well." Her face paled. "Guys, you might want to see this."

When Yuhiro and Herald looked at the part of the profile Roxy was looking at, they gasped. "Dr. Kogami..."

"Died seven years ago." Herald finished for him.

"Damn it!" Roxy said. "We were so close too!"

Suddenly, they received a call from the monitor. Yuhiro pressed the button and answered it. Like last time, there was only audio.

"Watchman. We got some good news and some bad news." Yuhiro explained. "Which one would you like to hear first?"

"The information from the mother computer will be enough, please," Watchman said.

"We found out who was responsible for the Hanoi Project," Roxy said.

"Unfortunately, he's dead." Herald stated.

"The man involved was Dr. Kogami." Yuhiro added. "Do you know him?"

There was silence on the audio for a few seconds. "I knew him," Watchman said. "He was a good friend. However, what he did, it was horrible."

"So you were there when the Hanoi Project began," Yuhiro figured out. "You were one of the researchers."

"I was," Watchman admitted. "And before you ask, no, I wasn't the whistleblower. After the Hanoi Project, I was so disgusted with myself that I exiled myself into LINK VRAINS for ten years."

Yuhiro, Roxy, and Herald were silent to what Watchman said for several moments. However, the silence was broken when Yuhiro spoke.

"Why do you wish to work with me?" Yuhiro asked. "You already know so much about me. At any point, you could have rattled me out to the Hanoi. Yet you didn't. Why?"

"Because I wish to repent for my sins," Watchman answered him. "I want to stop the Hanoi from doing something so grave and heinous that it will affect both the Cyberse and the human race. But more importantly, I want there to be coexistence between the Cyberse and Humans. By fighting for this chance of coexistence, it can lead to something spectacular for both worlds."

"I didn't know," was all Yuhiro said. Roxy put a hand on his shoulder while he was processing this information.

"We should take a few days to rest. After that, I will give you your next task," Watchman said. "In the meanwhile, you deserve a reward. What is it that you want?"

Yuhiro thought for a bit about Watchman's question. He thought about what he went through today, when he went through his painful memories. Then he turned to Herald. His Ignis never wanted his world to be attacked by the Hanoi. As a result, he was sent from one world to the next, a foreigner in a strange land.

_A chance for coexistence between two worlds_, Yuhiro thought. If that dream became reality, it could usher in something spectacular for both worlds. All it took was a single step.

Yuhiro then decided. "Watchman. I thought about it, and decided on an answer."

_At SOL Technologies..._

Kitamura was scared. Very scared as he walked onto the massive virtual reality chessboard. Not only was he responsible for letting several people run lose in the databank, he also lost several of his AI Duelists. And on top of that, he almost caused the entire databank to shut down.

"Kitamura," a giant knight chess piece said. "You are here today because we wish to talk about what recently happened in the databank, correct Bishop?"

"Correct," Bishop said. "Your charges include: Letting several people run amok in the databank, data regarding the Lost Incident being stolen from the mother computer, and almost causing a shutdown in the databank. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Kitamura gulped before speaking. "I used everything I could to prevent the intruders from going any further into the databank. From what I gathered, my best guess was that Zaizen somehow contacted Playmaker and Raguel, and had them distract me while he and another went into the mother computer. As for how Blue Angel and this 'Watchman' got in, I do not know."

"It is unwise to speak ill of other employees like that, Kitamura," another giant chess piece in the shape of a queen reprimanded him. "Regardless of what Akira Zaizen did, he still has a good record with SOL Technologies."

"I apologize, Queen!" Kitamura said, bowing. "Even with what happened, I was able to find something of value. Raguel has an AI similar to Playmaker's."

The chess pieces were processing what Kitamura said, when a giant rook chess piece spoke up. "Are you certain of this?"

"I am," Kitamura confirmed. "During the duel with Prototype D, I saw it emerge from Raguel's Duel Disk. While it looked different, scans showed it was similar to Playmaker's AI."

Bishop was silent before speaking. "If what you say is true, Kitamura, then perhaps today's events did not happen by mere circumstance. Rather, it could be a sign of what's to come."

"As well as a golden opportunity we should not let pass," Queen added. "Very well. Kitamura, you have new orders. You are to retrieve Playmaker and Raguel's AI's immediately. However, based on the events that happened today, the task might be difficult for you, even with the performance of your AI Duelists."

"Which is why I just contacted a reputable bounty hunter from Kyoto to assist you," Bishop said. "She will arrive in Den City in three days tops. All the paperwork has been completed, and will be stationed in Den Academy until you call her with an assignment."

Kitamura was astonished. He thought he was going to be fired, but instead, he was given a second chance from the higher ups to make up for his mistakes. "Thank you for this second chance," Kitamura said, bowing to the chess pieces. "I promise you; I won't fail."

"See to it that you don't," Knight warned him, before disappearing from the virtual reality chessboard.

"Also," Rook added, "if you somehow manage to keep the Hanoi away from SOL Technologies, we might be more merciful to you in the future." Rook then disappeared from the virtual reality chessboard as well.

"A fair warning," Queen said, "this bounty hunter has honor. If you should double-cross her, she will show no mercy to you." Queen then left the virtual reality chessboard.

"If you do succeed in acquiring Playmaker and Raguel's AI's, you will be promoted for your efforts," King promised Kitamura.

Kitamura nodded. "Very well. I will begin my assignment as soon as possible." He was about to walk away from Bishop when the entire chessboard shook, causing Kitamura to slowly turn his head to Bishop.

"Kitamura, you will be working with us much more closely from now on." Bishop ominously warned him, before leaving the virtual reality chessboard, leaving Kitamura alone.

_Nighttime, at an apartment in Den City..._

"AAAAAAHHH!" An eleven-year old girl screamed as she woke up from a nightmare, panting. The girl had short bright violet hair, with a ribbon on the top of her head, and wore pajamas.

A man soon lightly knocked on the girl's door. "Rachel, are you okay? You want me to come in?"

"I... yeah. Please come in, Greg." Rachel responded. Soon, the man known as Greg opened the door slowly and entered Rachel's room. Greg had brown hair, with blue eyes, a small moustache, and glasses. He also wore a suit jacket with a buttoned up white shirt.

"I just came home now when I heard you scream," Greg said as he sat beside Rachel on her bed. "You had another one of those dreams, didn't you?"

"They keep on coming, no matter what I do," Rachel cried, her hands on her face. "I know what we're doing is important, but-."

"It's okay that you cry," Greg said, placing his hands on Rachel's shoulders. "It shows that you're still human. What we're doing, it's going to bring justice and healing to so many lives." Rachel smiled but then frowned again.

"There's something different about this dream, though."

"What is it?"

"In the dream, I saw an older boy, and he used Cyberse cards against an opponent." Greg's eyes widened in hearing what Rachel said.

"Are you sure?"

"I am sure. The archetype the boy used was called 'Cyreath' I believe," Rachel recalled. "And if what my dreams are telling me is true..."

"Then there's other people out there who use Cyberse like you do," Greg realized. "Get some rest. I'll see if I can find anything on this 'Cyreath' archetype you're talking about."

"Alright." Rachel yawned as she went back into bed. "Goodnight, Greg."

"Goodnight, Rachel." Greg kissed her forehead before walking out of her bedroom and closing the door.

As Rachel began to sleep, she thought, _Whoever this boy is, I need to find him. Because finding him might be the first step in stopping the Hanoi._

**Card Gallery**

_Tentacluster Shellpod (LV: 4/Machine/Dark/ATK: 0/DEF: 1000)_

_If this card is destroyed by a card effect: You can banish 1 'Tentacluster' monster from your GY, and if you do, this card's name becomes that monster's original name; also, replace this effect with that monster's original effects until the End Phase._

_Tentacluster Scramble (Normal Spell Card)_

_If you control a 'Tentacluster' monster: You can destroy 1 Spell or Trap card your opponent controls._

_Tentacluster Shoal (Normal Spell Card)_

_Target 1 'Tentacluster' monster you control with 1000 or less ATK; Special Summon up to 2 'Tentacluster' monsters from your deck with the same name as that monster._

_Cyreath Goblin (LV: 1/Cyberse/Wind/ATK: 300/DEF: 0)_

_If this card is discarded by a card effect: Your opponent must discard their hand to the GY, then they take 300 damage for each card sent to the GY by this effect. You can only use this effect of 'Cyreath Goblin' once per duel._

_Altergeist Algorgon (LV: 4/Spellcaster/Earth/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1500)_

_If you would take damage from a card effect: You can Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, reduce it to zero. When this card is used for the Link Summon of an 'Altergeist' Link Monster: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; negate its effects. You can only use 1 'Altergeist Algorgon' effect per turn, and only once that turn._

_Aum the Cubic Lotus (LV: 1/Plant/Dark/ATK: 0/DEF: 0)_

_You can banish 1 'Cubic' card from your GY and send this card from your hand or field to the GY; place 1 Cubic counter on a face-up monster on the field without a Cubic Counter, then you can return 1 'Cubic' card in your GY to your hand, except a Level 1 monster. (Monsters with a Cubic Counter cannot attack, also negate their effects). You can target 1 monster on the field with a Cubic Counter; Special Summon this card from your GY, and if you do, destroy that target, also this card's name becomes 'Vijam the Cubic Seed'. You can only use each of these Quick Effects of 'Aum the Cubic Lotus' once per turn._

**QOTC**

_What are your thoughts on Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 10: The Angel's Enigma. In the three days since the events at the mother computer, Yuhiro has been trying to connect the dots on the Hanoi Project. However, his attention is diverted once he receives assignments from both Monty and Watchman, which both involve a Cyberse User... _

_**Responses to Reviews and Author Notes**_

_Thank you to Kyred, HunterHQ, Unknown, Unnamed, Noobmaster, Guest, and II for reviewing Chapter 8 of Obscured Truth._

Tada! I never thought I could do it, but I got another chapter done before the end of the year! And with this chapter comes the end of the first arc of Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth! I'll talk about what happened in this chapter, my thoughts on Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens, an announcement, and then responses to reviews.

Before I begin, if you felt that this chapter was too similar to the anime, then I apologize. The goal in writing this chapter was to make it original the best I can. After all, Yuhiro had to access the data in the mother computer at some point. Anyways, onto the recap.

The first major thing that happened was Yuhiro, Roxy, and Herald learning about Playmaker's identity. I had Herald find out about Playmaker's identity first, just to give you a small taste of what he can do for the team.

The second major thing that happened in this chapter was Kusanagi meeting Roxy. Since both of them have something in common, they become friends pretty quick. In addition, Roxy gives him some goodies that can be used should Playmaker need them.

The third major thing was the events that occurred in the databank. This included three duels: Raguel against Prototype's C and D, and Watchman's duel against Ghost Girl. For those of you that felt disappointed with the third duel, the goal was to point something out that can occur in real-life duels. Sometimes, you can simply lose due to a bad hand. Don't worry, Ghost Girl will win a duel.

Finally, Watchman's reasons for working with Yuhiro are revealed. He wishes to repent for the sins he made during his time as a researcher during the Lost Incident by fighting against the Hanoi. Watchman also believes in coexistence between the Cyberse and humans as well.

Oh, and I almost forgot! In true MCU fashion, I put in two post-credit scenes, which I'll leave you guys to parse through. As for what they mean for the future of this story, I encourage you to come up with your own cool theories on what comes next.

Alright, here are my thoughts on Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens. In all honesty, I can see pros and cons with it. The pro with this new show is that it led to the change in the Master Rules in the real world. This means that, while people are going to still be using Link Monsters, I can see people using old decks once again. Ex. D/D/D, Blue-Eyes, Blackwing's, Cyber Dragons, Elemental Heroes, etc. The con is the animation. For some reason, I cannot stand it, as it reminds me of other shows with similar animation (I won't specify which ones so that people do not me). Therefore, I probably won't watch it, unless they release more information. On the other hand, I do find Rush Duels intriguing, as it's almost similar to a Speed Duel, only with special cards with the words 'Rush Duel' on them (if you're confused, it's similar to Duel Links, where you can only use cards that have the words 'Speed Duel' on them). **When answering the QOTC, keep in mind that I do not tolerate people tearing each other down. The goal of the QOTC is to build peaceful discussion with one another. If it gets out of hand, not only will I get rid of QOTC, but I will delete and/or report harmful comments as well.**

Before I get to the reviews, I want to make a quick announcement. I want to let all of you know that I'm open to submission of cards for any character that appears in the story. You can submit them to me at any point, but there's a 50/50 chance that I'll use your idea. However, if I do use your idea, I'll give you full credit for the submission.

And now, onto the reviews:

Kyred: Thank you very much.

HunterHQ: I'm glad that you enjoyed the flashbacks. It is a shame, indeed, that Yuhiro and Roxy are bitter towards Emma though. As for your question regarding truths, it means something that is not clear. There are lots of references so far in the story as well regarding truth. Unfortunately, Herald doesn't know about Watchman's identity, and until now, knows a limited amount of information about the Lost Incident.

Unknown: Herald won't go back home with Ai by the end of Season 1. He'll stay behind to help find other Cyberse still in LINK VRAINS. And to answer your question, Ghost Girl killed Senor Marcos' avatar, not him in real life.

Unnamed: Yes. The Rock, Paper, Scissors thing was definitely from Dragon Ball. Plus, the scene was entertaining.

Noobmaster: I'll tell you this. The Hanoi was not responsible for killing Miyu's parents. As for whether we'll meet the killer or not, you have to read on and see.

Guest: I applaud you for your observations. And it is not a coincidence. As for why Yuhiro values Miyu a lot, I hope this chapter answered that question for you. If not, then I encourage you to keep on reading to get your answer.

II: The 8th Lost Incident child will not appear until Season 2 for the sake of spoilers.

Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter in your reviews, as well as any thoughts, opinions, or questions you may have. Also, let me know what you think of Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens in general. I wanted to get this chapter done so I can say this:

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

I wish you all the best in the new year to come. Chapter 10 will be out in early January! See you then!


	10. Chapter 10: The Angel's Enigma

**Update**: As pointed out by ZarcEternal and HunterHQ, there were a few errors in the previous chapter regarding Machine Duplication and the timing of Continuous-Spell cards. Rest assured, I fixed them up. Hope you enjoy Chapter 10!

**Chapter 10: The Angel's Enigma**

_Deep inside the Hanoi Stronghold..._

"This is where we will execute the next phase of our plan, father," Revolver told him. The two of them were on a stairway above a massive hole, which leaked with data.

"Very good," the old man said in response. He pulled something out of his pocket, which looked like a small blue cube. "This seed will blossom into a new beginning. A world without LINK VRAINS. No, a world rid of the entire digital network. And not even the shackles of the great beyond will prevent me from being able to achieve this dream."

The old man dropped the cube into the whole, where it started glowing at the bottom before dimming out completely. He then started walking upstairs, back into the Hanoi Stronghold. Revolver followed him a few seconds later.

"There's something troubling you, isn't there, father?" Revolver inquired of him.

Once they got to the main floor, the old man stopped walking and turned to him. "There is, unfortunately." He then turned his head to the monitor, which showed what happened in the mother computer. "Recently, SOL Technologies' mother computer was infiltrated, and a massive amount of data relating to the Lost Incident was stolen."

"Playmaker and Raguel were behind this, then," Revolver concluded, crossing his arms. "With your permission, father, I'll-."

"There's something else," the old man interrupted Revolver. "After I saw the recording, I found something that I thought couldn't be true. But the evidence shows that it is." He motioned for Revolver to watch the file footage.

As Revolver watched the file footage, he saw two duels. The first was between Playmaker and Akira Zaizen, the former security chief of SOL. Even with many setbacks, Playmaker was eventually able to overcome Akira's defenses. The second duel, however, caught him off guard when he saw who Ghost Girl was dueling against. His eyes widened once he recognized the man.

"Impossible," Revolver said, denying the truth. "For ten years, I thought he was dead!"

"Apparently, he isn't," The old man turned off the monitor, seeing that it disturbed his son. "I didn't want to believe it myself, but after looking at how he dueled and used his cards, I'm certain. It's him. It's Arshad."

Revolver didn't know what to think about this new information. A part of him wanted to deny the truth, that Arshad died after the Lost Incident was conducted. But after seeing him on the screen, it was as though he didn't change all those years ago.

"I do not want to face Arshad," the old man continued. "He was a good friend, and had the same dreams as the other researchers and I ten years ago. However, from his actions, he's still pursuing these futile dreams. If we leave him be, he'll only continue getting more dangerous, and I'll be forced to-."

"Must we eliminate him father?" Revolver said, causing the old man to turn to him. "Perhaps if we show him the damage the Ignis will cause to the human race, he could rejoin us. After all, a duelist like him, who doesn't use Link Summoning, would make an excellent member of the Hanoi."

"Or he could report our location to his new _friends_," the old man bitterly countered. "We need to make every precaution we can, Revolver. But I do see you're point." He sighed. "All right. I will try to sway him to our side, old friend to old friend. But if he refuses, then we'll have to eliminate him. Understand?"

"Yes, father." Revolver bowed to the old man before he dematerialized from the Hanoi Stronghold.

_Arshad Saito_, Revolver thought. _I never thought I would see you again. If you're truly working with Playmaker and Raguel, understand this._ He made a fist with his hand as he narrowed his eyes in anger. _I will personally eliminate you if it means saving humanity!_

_On the way to Den Academy..._

"Ugh. I hate this thing."

This was said by none other than Progleo, who was out on a walk with Yuhiro. He was scratching the leash that was around his neck. Apparently, the cub no longer had a satellite dish around his neck, as well as the old video recorder on his back. The braces on each of his claws and the coil on his tail were also gone. This made Progleo look like a small husky.

It had been three days since Yuhiro's adventure in the databank. After retrieving the data from the mother computer, Yuhiro requested a program from Watchman that would help Progleo experience the human world, surprising everyone. Watchman granted this request, providing him with the program that will help Progleo experience the real world. Unfortunately, getting Progleo to eat the program was easier said than done, as it took a full hour until he did so. It took Roxy sneaking the program in his favorite meal to do the trick.

"That was dirty of you, sneaking that program into my favorite food like that," Progleo bitterly said.

"It wasn't my idea, you know," Yuhiro stated. "We had to get you to eat it somehow. And Roxy sneaking it into your mini cheeseburger was the perfect idea." He scratched his head and sheepishly chuckled, feeling bad for the poor cub.

"On the bright side, you look so cute!" Herald commented. "Did you know that Husky's are an ever changing cross-breed of really fast dogs? This makes them totally compatible for sled dog racing."

"But I don't want to be a sled-dog," Progleo complained. "I want to be able to interact with this world in the form I was born in."

"I know, Progleo," Yuhiro said. "But people are afraid of what they don't know about. And when people are afraid, they're more likely to take drastic action. Once this world and the Cyberse World are able to coexist, they'll be more likely to see you as an equal."

Progleo then turned around to face Yuhiro. He then gave him the saddest puppy dog face he knew in order to convince Yuhiro to take the leash off him.

"Sorry, little buddy," Yuhiro said, kneeling down and petting Progleo's head, "but a sad, puppy dog face will not convince me to remove the leash around your neck. I did this for you, you know. So you could experience the human world."

"And so far, I'm not having the best experience," Progleo replied. Suddenly, Progleo noticed that he had to use the washroom. "I gotta pee. Where do I go to pee?"

"Usually, dogs pee near trees. Or at the very least, near a firehydrant," Herald said. "Speaking of trees, there's one coming up right now." This caused Progleo to start running, dragging both Yuhiro and Herald with him. After Progleo was finished with his business, he came out from behind the tree, relieved from it.

"Ah. Much better," Progleo said, as he came to Yuhiro with the leash. Yuhiro picked it up and continued walking him to Den Academy.

"You know, I was thinking," Herald said, "that you should have a nickname, Progleo. For when we're in public."

"A nickname you say?" Yuhiro asked. "I wonder what nickname you would like, Progleo? Proggy?" Progleo, having heard that, shook his head. "Okay, what about Bolt? Or Amak?" Progleo shook his head to both those answers as well.

"I know, how about Leo?" Herald asked Progleo, who barked in agreement. "That way, we won't ever forget your name! Not that we never would in the first place," he chuckled.

The rest of the walk to Den Academy was silent. It was good for Yuhiro because he can think about the data he got from SOL Technologies.

He and Roxy, along with Herald, found out who was responsible for the Lost Incident. The man who caused so much pain for him, Miyu, and six other kids. Doctor Kiyoshi Kogami, a researcher at SOL Technologies who ran the Hanoi Project without the knowledge of his superiors. For six months, the project ran uninterrupted until a whistleblower ratted him out to his bosses and shut it down. And on top of that, he died three years following the Hanoi Project.

If Yuhiro had to be honest, he didn't know what to make of the information. While he knew who was responsible for the pain he endured during the Hanoi Project, it belonged to a dead man who couldn't be tracked down as a result. Not only that, but Kogami's name was the only one listed in the data. _There's no way Kogami could have done this project on his own, _Yuhiro thought_. He had to have partners with similar dreams like him._

In the end, there were three people who might know information on the Hanoi Project: Revolver, Infearno, and Dancho. However, there were three problems with that.

One: Even though Yuhiro knew Dancho's real name, Zandaka Ikiagi, he wasn't able to find his contact information. Yuhiro's best guess was that Dancho was keeping a low profile, and as such, was with the Knights of Hanoi as of this moment.

Two: Regarding the Ignis and the Cyberse, what Infearno told him during their duel was complete baloney after hearing Progleo and Herald's accounts on the tale. Yuhiro needed more information from Watchman to figure out what exactly the Hanoi's goal was in destroying the Cyberse. By doing so, he can figure out whether he should pursue Revolver, Infearno, or Dancho. In other words, whoever had the most information on the Hanoi Project.

Three: Playmaker would be looking for Revolver as well. That was pretty obvious. With two people hunting for him, Revolver would make every effort to maintain a low profile as possible, making it next to impossible to find him.

Ultimately, there wasn't anything he could do right now but wait for the Knights of Hanoi to make their next move.

Just before Yuhiro reached Den Academy, he had to go through one last thing. And it started once Progleo escaped from his control and headed for the squirrels near the tree. _I gotta catch him before he hurts himself_, Yuhiro thought as he ran for the cub.

When he caught up to Progleo, he found the cub at the tree, as well as Aoi Zaizen, who was rubbing his stomach.

"Good morning, Furutani," Aoi said as she turned to him while continuing to rub Progleo's stomach. "Is this your dog? I didn't know you had one."

"His name is Leo," Yuhiro replied, as Progleo walked back to him. Yuhiro picked up his leash. "I got him a few days ago." He continued walking to school, with Aoi following behind him. "It's good to see that you're feeling better, Zaizen."

Aoi nodded at Yuhiro's kind words. "Thank you. That means a lot."

Yuhiro was glad to see Aoi back in full health following the ordeal with the Hanoi. However, a part of him did not want her to follow him right now. He needed the walk to Den Academy to not only think about his work as Raguel, but to chat with Herald as well. He couldn't do that while she was there.

Both of them were silent for a few minutes until Aoi spoke up. "May I ask you a question, Furutani?"

Yuhiro glanced at her, but she was staring ahead. "Alright," Yuhiro responded, now curious at what Aoi's question might be. "What's up?"

"You once mentioned that you didn't know what you wanted for your future because of what you went through, correct?"

"Correct," Yuhiro said. "What are you trying to say, exactly?"

Aoi didn't speak for a minute before she continued, although hesitantly, "Are you not able to figure your future out because of what happened during the Lost Incident?"

Yuhiro's face turned pale as he stopped walking. He soon started hyperventilating as he fell down to the ground, the memories of the Lost Incident flowing through his head. Progleo, who knew what was going on with Yuhiro, tried to comfort him.

"Furutani?" Aoi said, as she got on the ground beside Yuhiro. "Are you alright, Furutani? Can you hear me?" She soon started to become worried, as she shouted, "Yuhiro?!"

"Is everything okay?" A little girl ran to where Yuhiro and Aoi was. As Aoi turned to the girl, she guessed that she was about eleven years old. The girl had short bright violet hair, with a ribbon on top. She wore the Den Academy uniform with a blue tie, indicating that she was a new student. "What can I do to help?"

"Can you help me figure out what's going on with him?" Aoi asked the girl. "I don't know what to do, and-."

"I'll do you one better." The girl pulled out a small syringe with green fluid in it. The canister had a button on it, which the girl pressed, releasing a needle on the other side. "This will help him. But you have to hold him steady, got it?" Aoi nodded, and held Yuhiro steady, while Progleo backed away, unsure of what the girl was going to do to him. "On the count of three. One, two, three!" The girl jabbed the syringe into Yuhiro's chest, releasing the green fluid into his body.

After a few moments, Yuhiro took a deep breath, his senses coming back to him. Progleo jumped into his arms and licked his face upon seeing that he was alright. When he looked around, he saw Aoi and a little girl he didn't recognize concerned for him. As he set Progleo down, he said, "The hell just happened?"

"You experienced an anxiety attack," the girl told him. "I used a healing stim to calm you down. You'll feel a bit doozy, though after 12 hours."

Yuhiro turned to the girl. "A healing stim," Yuhiro repeated, surprised. "I thought those were rare in Den City. Regardless, thanks. For helping me out." The girl smiled at him in response.

The moment was short-lived, though, when Yuhiro remembered what Aoi said that caused him to experience that anxiety attack. _How the hell does she know_, he wondered. Then he realized something. She was there when he went to talk with Watchman, who blurted out his identity.

That, combined with the fact she learned about the Lost Incident three days ago confirmed one thing. Aoi knew about his identity as Raguel.

He didn't realize he was tensing up until Aoi gently touched his shoulder. "I know it's a lot to take in," she began, "but if you let me, I can-."

"I need some time alone," Yuhiro stated, gently removing Aoi's hand from his shoulder. From the look on his expression, it was clear that he was angry. He leaned forward and whispered to her, "What I went through, it isn't something you can simply _forget_ over time. It becomes a part of you _forever_. That's why I can't move on." He then resumed walking to school again with Progleo, only at a much faster pace than before. Aoi stood still for a while, trying to get her heartbeat under control, then she started walking again, at a slower pace than Yuhiro, as she saw he didn't want to talk anymore.

To her surprise, the girl followed him. "Are you friends with that Furutani boy?" the girl asked Aoi. The girl's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "Is he your boyfriend, perhaps?"

Aoi's face turned red upon hearing that comment. She turned to the girl. "He's definitely not my boyfriend!" she stated. "Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know," the girl replied. "I'm just a really curious person, who likes teasing people." She looked at her watch. "I need to head to the principal's office to finalize the paperwork with my guardian." The girl turned to Aoi and smiled. "I do hope we're in the same class." Aoi then waved goodbye to the girl, as she ran forward to Den Academy, where she met up with whom Aoi guessed was her guardian.

If Aoi had to be honest with herself, she didn't know what to think of Yuhiro. He was the only one who treated her differently. _But I'm not sure myself if he's my friend_, she thought. With all the evidence from the past few days, Aoi knew that Yuhiro was Raguel. So this morning, she decided to ask him about it, partly to confirm what was on her mind, but to also let him know that she sympathized with him. Aoi ultimately wanted to let Yuhiro know that she was his friend, and that it was safe to confide in her.

What she didn't expect was for Yuhiro to get angry about it. Nor did she expect him to have a sudden anxiety attack. Aoi knew all about Raguel; how he was the king of LINK VRAINS' black market and his ruthlessness in assignments. But all the times she seen him, he had never scared her. This time, she saw what caused him to earn that reputation in the first place.

_A few minutes later..._

Yuhiro sat in his seat for his Functions class, doing his best to ignore Aoi sitting in the row behind him. After what she asked him on the way to school, as well as the anxiety attack, he just wanted to be left alone. He was impressed that Aoi was able to figure out his identity, but he was scared for her as well. Threats of being exposed aside, if his enemies found out that Blue Angel knew his identity, they would target her to draw him out. After his duel against Infearno, he didn't want anything else on his conscience.

"Good morning, class." Yuhiro looked up from his tablet at the teacher, who was speaking. "Before we begin, I'd like to make an announcement. Two new students are joining us today; the oldest and youngest to ever attend Den Academy. One of the students is a transfer from Kyoto."

This got Yuhiro's attention. Two new students? He already met the younger one when he had the anxiety attack. As for the older, he hadn't met them yet. Even with this new development, it wouldn't affect him or his work.

The teacher turned to the door. "You may come in now." Two girls wearing the Den Academy uniform and stood at the front.

The older girl stepped forward first. Based on looking at her, Yuhiro knew that she had a strong build than most girls her age. She had long, brown hair that was kept in the form of a ponytail using a hairpin in the shape of a Sakura flower. On her right hand was a glove that had the Sanada symbol on it. Her pink eyes surveyed the room.

"My name is Gekiryushi Sanada," she said, bowing slightly. "Please take care of me." She gave a small smile to everyone across the room.

Yuhiro soon heard a sound across the classroom. All the guys in the classroom, except for Yusaku and himself, were staring at Gekiryushi with wide eyes and open mouths. Some of them even got out of their seats.

_You gotta be shitting me_, Yuhiro thought, as he put a hand on his face and sighed. _These idiots are aware that she's older, right_, he wondered. "Why are they staring at her?" Yuhiro asked Aoi, turning to her.

"Because she's pretty," Aoi answered him. "You don't think that she is?"

Yuhiro turned back to Gekiryushi. She was pretty, he guessed. But there was something off about this girl. Usually, people would graduate Den Academy at 17 or 18. Why was she here though?

"Thank you, Miss Sanada," the teacher said. "And now, please give your attention to our other student joining us today." The teacher motioned for the younger of the two students to step forward.

The little girl that Yuhiro bumped into earlier stepped forward, her gold-colored eyes nervously surveying the room. "Uh, my... my name is Rachel Miyake. Please take care of me." She bowed slightly, nervous at what her peers might think of her.

The other students simply sat back down in their seats, muttering as they did so.

"She's too young to be at Den Academy."

"Shouldn't she be in middle school?"

"Den Academy must have been impressed by her intelligence to let someone like her attend this school."

At this point, Gekiryushi had it with everyone's muttering. She stepped forward. "Enough!" she shouted at the entire classroom, getting everyone's attention. "What you're doing to this poor girl is not fair at all! She chose to come here, yet you choose to judge her and not treat her as an equal! If any of you has a problem with her, then you got a problem with me. Understand?" Gekiryushi then glared daggers at everyone, scaring them and ensuring they got the message.

Yuhiro had to admit. Whoever this Gekiryushi was, she had a lot of guts to say that in front of the entire classroom.

"Uh, thanks for that bold statement," the teacher said. "Miss Sanada, why don't you sit in the second row? As for you, Miss Miyake, why don't you take a seat next to Furutani?" Wait, what? Yuhiro glanced up in curiosity as the teacher gestured to the empty seats beside him and the one in the second row. Both girls thanked the teacher, then walked over to their respective seats. Gekiryushi walked to the second bench, while Rachel walked over to Yuhiro's bench.

"Hello," Rachel said, giving a small smile to Yuhiro. "I'm Rachel Miyake. So you're Furutani? The boy I ran into earlier and helped out, correct?"

"The one and only," Yuhiro answered. "Welcome to Den Academy." He turned away from Rachel and to the teacher, determined to focus on the lesson and just get through the day. However, what Yuhiro failed to notice was that Rachel's smile widened.

_At the end of Functions class..._

"Furutani, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

Yuhiro turned from his bag to Rachel in response to her question. Functions class just ended now, and he would have left the classroom had Rachel not asked him the question. He also noticed that much of the class left to follow Gekiryushi. _Those poor idiots are going to have their hearts broken within days_, Yuhiro thought.

"That depends on the favor," he said, his face blank. While he wouldn't make fun of Rachel or judge her, a part of him was curious as to why she was at Den Academy. If her marks were high enough to get her admittance to the school at such a young age, then he would most certainly be impressed. However, he was also suspicious, as this never happened before.

"Hey, Furutani!" Naoki suddenly appeared beside Rachel. Ugh. He had to be in this class, too. "Don't be rude to our new student!" He turned from Yuhiro to Rachel. "If you like, I can help you any way I can, Miyake."

Rachel turned to Naoki and said, "No thanks. I doubt a 'Neanderthal' as yourself can help me." She turned back to Yuhiro as Naoki's jaw dropped, sputtering as he tried to come up with a response. "After all, you owe me for my help earlier, right Furutani?"

Yuhiro sighed. She had to bring up the anxiety attack? He hoped it wouldn't become his Kryptonite. If people found out about his anxiety attack, they would start using him under the threat of spreading the rumor around the school.

"Alright, fine," Yuhiro conceded. "What is it you need help with?"

Rachel pursed her lips before responding. "Could you show me around the school? I didn't get a tour when I signed up, and I might need help finding my way around."

"Okay. I'll show you around." Rachel smiled as she followed Yuhiro to the exit, ready for the tour. Neither of them noticed Yusaku in the back, staring at Rachel, his eyes narrowed.

_Stay alert, Furutani_, he thought. _Both these girls look more dangerous than they look_.

"This is the gymnasium," Yuhiro said, opening the door. It was a massive room, with bleachers on one of the sides of the room for audiences. The gym also had two basketball nets on both sides of the room, as well as a storage room. "Students gather here to partake in sports activities. There are also sports teams you can sign up for if you wish."

"Interesting." On hearing that, Yuhiro turned around and saw Rachel type something on her tablet.

"What are you doing?" he asked, curious.

"Oh, my apologies," Rachel said, smiling as she looked up to face him. "I was just typing up some information that I might need for later on."

"About the gym?" Yuhiro asked. Rachel shook her head in response. He knew it was rude to eavesdrop in a woman's belongings, but a part of him really wanted to see what she typed. After all, there was more to that smile than it seemed. "Or something else?"

"It's simply none of your business," Rachel stated. She then changed the subject. "You know what I see when I first saw your face this morning? I see someone who must have been through something horrific to have that anxiety attack, wouldn't you agree?"

Yuhiro narrowed his eyes. Was Rachel implying that she knew he was a victim of the Lost Incident? However, what she said next surprised him.

"You're not the only one with a face like that," she said. "The girl who was with you this morning had that face. As well as the boy in the back with blue and pink hair. Only to a lesser extent." Rachel's smile soon turned mischievous. "I wonder, do the three of you know each other? To the point where you can trust each other with your secrets?"

"We do know each other," Yuhiro answered her, "but not to that extent." His suspicions about this girl were definitely going up. He had to admit, Rachel was quite observant. She was able to figure out that he, Yusaku, and Aoi all had secrets within minutes of meeting them. Yuhiro was right; this girl was different from the others. To the point where she could be trouble if he dropped his guard. "I think we've seen enough of the gymnasium."

He led Rachel around the school, showing her the classrooms, computer labs, and other places. Throughout the tour, he could see out of the corner of his eye that Rachel continued to take notes on her tablet. Why was she doing that? Was she keeping track of all the information he told her? Or was her goal something else?

The tour would have continued, but Rachel got a call from her guardian. After a few minutes, she spoke to Yuhiro. "I'm deeply sorry," she said. "But I have to go home early. Thank you for showing me around."

"No problem." Yuhiro responded. Rachel was about to run off when she remembered something. She turned around and walked closer to Yuhiro, surprising him.

"When I look at you, there's something I can't identify, yet it's familiar," she told him. "For some odd reason, you look just like someone in my dreams."

Yuhiro couldn't help but ask, "Why do you say that?"

"No reason." Rachel responded. "Anyway, see you tomorrow," she said as she headed out from Den Academy.

_If I'm going to stay covert, I need to keep an eye on that girl_, Yuhiro thought.

"It's Furutani, correct?"

Yuhiro's thoughts were interrupted at the mention of his name. He turned around, only to see Gekiryushi speaking to him. "If you're looking for Furutani, here I am," he replied.

"What you did for Miyake, it was nice," Gekiryushi said as she stepped forward and extended her right hand. "I'm Sanada. Gekiryushi Sanada."

"Furutani. Yuhiro Furutani." Yuhiro said as she shook her right hand. "What brings you here to Den Academy?"

"A Master's Degree," Gekiryushi said. "in teaching. I come from a family that holds honor in everything they do, above all else. I want to one day pass the lessons my family taught me to the next generation. That is why I seek to become a teacher."

"That's wonderful," Yuhiro commented.

"It definitely is, Furutani," Gekiryushi stated with a smile. "What about you? Have you figured out what you wanted for your future?"

Yuhiro's smile turned into a frown. Ever since the Lost Incident, he couldn't move on, no matter what he did. As a result, it made him uncertain about his future. "No. Not yet. I do hope to find it though before I graduate."

Gekiryushi nodded. "I see. If I can tell you anything, it's this: As long as you have honor, selflessness, and the willingness to do what is right, then you will be fine."

"All right. Thank you," Yuhiro responded. The bell rang. "I have to get to another class. And welcome to Den Academy," he added as he turned around and headed for his next class.

_Hours later..._

Yuhiro walked home, taking a longer and different route back to Café Matsuo so he wouldn't run into Aoi. He was going over today's events in his head. Two new students joined his class, and the younger of the two wanted him to give her a tour. On top of that, he briefly chatted with the older of the two before the next class.

What surprised him though was how observant Rachel was. Within minutes of meeting, she was able to figure out that Yuhiro went through something horrible in his past, making him someone who keeps secrets. This made him suspicious of her, as he didn't know anything about her. _I honestly hate unknowns_, he thought.

Were there any people in his life who he can trust his secrets to? Of course there were. There was Roxy, who he can trust completely. He would put Herald down on the list, but he hadn't known him for a long time. However, since the both of them had a common goal, he was willing to work with him. The same thing would go for Watchman as well, only Yuhiro knew him for a much shorter period of time than Herald.

Was there anyone else? His thoughts turned to Miyu, and he blushed. Yes, he could talk to Miyu if he wanted, but the fact that she couldn't respond made it impossible. Still, he was grateful that he could visit her, as he could confide in her what he's been going through. _I wonder what life will be like once you wake up, Miyu_, Yuhiro wondered. His thoughts were interrupted, however, when Herald appeared from Yuhiro's Duel Disk.

"You seem troubled, Yuhiro," Herald said. "What's up?"

"Sorry if I'm not myself today," Yuhiro said.

"If it's about the information on the Lost Incident, then-."

"It's not about that!" Yuhiro interrupted Herald. And then he went to tell Herald about his day. How two new students joined his class, as well as his suspicions about Rachel Miyake. Yuhiro also told Herald about Gekiryushi Sanada, who was one of the oldest students to enroll Den Academy.

"It just doesn't add up," Yuhiro said, who was stressed out. "And to make this day even better, I had to have an anxiety attack of all things!"

Herald waited until Yuhiro finished venting before speaking. "Yuhiro, when someone goes through a traumatic experience, they don't come out of it unharmed. Rather, they will carry scars with them for the rest of their life. It's whether you choose to move forward or not that makes a difference in the end."

Yuhiro thought about what Herald said. "You make a good point, Herald. And thanks."

"For what?"

"For just simply being there when I needed it." Herald couldn't help but smile.

"Anytime, partner. Anytime."

By the time Yuhiro arrived at Café Matsuo, he saw Roxy eating a chicken sandwich. _Must be a new menu option_, he thought as he went to the picnic table where she was. The steward bot was behind the counter, serving customers.

"Hey, Yuhiro," Roxy said, as Yuhiro sat down on the chair opposite to her. "How was school?"

"Not the best," Yuhiro admitted. "We got two new classmates, the oldest and youngest to ever attend Den Academy. As for the rest, well, I'll tell you later. What I could use is a distraction."

Roxy stood up. "Then you're in luck, pal. Cause two assignments came in. One from Monty, and one from Watchman." She motioned for him to follow her into the backroom, which he did. After they went into the backroom and sat down in their respective chairs, Roxy turned on the monitor.

"Now where are those emails?" Roxy muttered to herself as she went through her Inbox. "Alright. Bingo! Here they are!" She opened up a window on the monitor, which contained an email from Monty.

_To: Raguel_

_From: Monty_

_Raguel,_

_I would tell you about this assignment in person, but unfortunately, I have to attend an important gala in Osaka. Therefore, I will be back in Den City in two days. To keep you occupied, I have a minor assignment for you. If for some reason, it interferes with your other assignment to acquire Playmaker's AI, then you don't have to accept it. If you choose to accept it, then the details are below:_

_**Operation: Retrieval**__. There are rumors going around of a Cyberse user defeating various duelists on the black market, giving it a bad name. I want you to find this Cyberse user, defeat them in a duel, and send their Cyberse cards to me. If you're successful, I will pay you a good amount for your troubles. Also, please send me a report for the assignment to me as soon as you can. _

_See you in two days,_

_Monty._

"I thought Playmaker and I were the only ones who used Cyberse cards." Raguel said, after reading the email. The emergence of a new Cyberse user in LINK VRAINS greatly intrigued him.

"Now this is surprising," Herald said, as he read the email. "Another Cyberse User in LINK VRAINS? I most certainly didn't expect this." He turned to Roxy. "Roxy, did Watchman send an email or something?"

"Hang on. Pulling it up now." Another window on the monitor soon popped up. Only this time, it contained a pre-recorded message.

"Raguel," the pre-recording of Watchman said. "Just a few hours ago, a Cyberse user has been detected in LINK VRAINS. While I wasn't able to find her, I was able to identify her alias: Numera. I need you to find Numera and convince her to join us. If you must, then duel her. Otherwise, she'll become a target of the Hanoi. I provided you with a signal of her last appearance. Let me know how it goes." The message ended after that.

"Numera," Raguel repeated. He turned to Roxy. "Why would she name herself after numbers?"

"Why would someone name themselves after an angel of justice and redemption?" Roxy countered. Yuhiro couldn't help but roll his eyes in response to that comment.

"Fair enough." His eyes narrowed as he considered something. "Do you think the name is a clue?."

"Probably," Roxy admitted. "She could be trying to send you a message as well. Regardless, I think it's worth investigating."

"Agreed." While Yuhiro wanted to investigate this matter, he couldn't help but be conflicted about these assignments. Monty wanted him to acquire Numera's Cyberse cards in exchange for money, while Watchman wanted him to recruit her for her help in the coming Crisis.

"You are aware that we don't have to accept the assignment Monty sent us, right?" Roxy told him. "After all, he still thinks we're focused on retrieving Playmaker's AI."

"The mystery of this Cyberse User, or Numera as she's called, is something we should look into though," Herald stated. "If there are more Cyberse cards in LINK VRAINS, it could mean that several Cyberse creatures from the Cyberse World have managed to enter the network."

"You have a good point there," Yuhiro pointed out. He gained an idea. "Roxy, tell Monty and Watchman that I'll inquire into the matter regarding the Cyberse User."

"You sure about this?" Roxy asked, turning to him. "Cause at some point, you need to choose who you'll be helping."

"Yeah. I'm sure," Yuhiro said. "I want to see what we're dealing with first. By that point, I'll make a decision." He stood up and ran to the closed-off space. He took his deck and put it into his Duel Disk.

"Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel landed on a rooftop and looked around him. He then pushed a few buttons on his Duel Disk, causing E.M.S. to come out and report for duty. "E.M.S. I need you to find recent appearances of this signal. Can you do that?" The fly saluted at him before flying off and beginning the scan.

After a few minutes, a G.P.S. map of LINK VRAINS appeared on Raguel's Duel Disk, along with another appearance of the signal.

"Roxy's inventions work really fast," Herald stated.

"Or it could mean one thing, Herald," Raguel replied. Numera wanted to be found.

Raguel jumped off the rooftop and onto his duel board, which was on the Data Stream. He zoomed on the data stream as he followed the signal. When Raguel got closer to the signal, it suddenly vanished! _That's strange_, Raguel thought, as he narrowed his eyes.

"What's the matter?" Herald asked him.

"The signal for some reason vanished," Raguel stated. He would have said more, but he felt the pressure of the data stream underneath his feet increase. As a result, Raguel had difficulty maintaining balance. "Something's not right with the data stream!"

"Uh, Raguel," Herald said, pointing ahead. When Raguel looked forward, he saw a massive yellow triangle, which was sucking them in! "Do something!"

Raguel attempted to drift on his duel board so he could activate his Duel Anchor and latch onto a nearby building. Unfortunately, he missed, causing him and Herald to be sucked in by the massive yellow triangle.

_In another area of LINK VRAINS..._

The massive yellow triangle appeared once again, spitting out Raguel and causing him to roll onto the ground.

"Are you alright, Herald?" Raguel asked him as he got up. He looked around, and found himself still in LINK VRAINS, although in a different area. If Raguel had to guess, it was in an area that was less populated.

"Yup. I'm still alive," Herald replied. "Although that is something I don't want to go through again."

"It's good to see you survived the trip, Raguel."

Raguel looked around to the source of the voice and gasped. He was soon looking at a massive red and white robot with a blazing sword on its back landing on the ground. The robot had shredded pieces of a cape on both its shoulders and its waist. In its hands, the robot carried a little girl, whom Raguel assumed to be Numera.

The girl had a white bob-cut with a few red strands of hair, as well as green eyes. She wore a black jumpsuit containing final sigma lines on her arms and a nabla necklace around her neck, with pink shoes. She had a scar over her left eye, and a small scratch on the right side of her face.

As the girl stepped off of the mech's hands, Raguel said, "So. You must be Numera."

The girl smiled. "That's correct. I'm Numera."

"You know," Raguel said, "there are rumors going around of a Cyberse User defeating duelists on the black market, giving it a bad name. If you are _that_ Cyberse user, then I suggest you surrender now."

Numera giggled at hearing that. "Surrender? Like _that's_ going to happen."

Before Raguel could ask what she meant, Numera pressed a few buttons on her Duel Disk, causing a golden field to appear around them.

"What the-?" Raguel was shocked at what he was seeing. When he looked behind his back, he saw the massive yellow triangle emitting the golden field. "Roxy, what is this?" Raguel said as he put a hand to the earpiece in his right ear. He tried to log out, but realized he couldn't.

"Checking now," Roxy responded. After a few seconds, Roxy continued talking. "You're not going to like this, Yuhiro. Somehow, this girl created a security field. That means you won't be able to log out!"

"Seriously?" Raguel said. Great. Now he was stuck here, with Numera. _This situation just went from bad to worse_, he thought.

"I did my research on you, Raguel," Numera stated, giggling some more. "Since you work on the black market, targeting black market noobs was the best way to get your attention. After all, I put that signal on purpose so that you wouldn't ignore it."

"Research-." Raguel narrowed his eyes as he figured it out. "You did this to draw me out. So that I would confront you, Cyberse user to Cyberse user."

Numera smiled again. "Very observant, Raguel. I tried to seek Playmaker out first, but since he always deleted his activity logs, it became very irritating. So after I heard about you, I did some research, which was easier because you were known in the black market. And now, here we are."

Raguel narrowed his eyes further. "Did someone hire you to defeat me?"

Numera, looking insulted, shook her head. "Of course not! I wouldn't use Cyberse cards to hunt other Cyberse users. Rather, I was looking for you because I need your help."

"My help?" Raguel repeated. He then suddenly remembered what Watchman assigned him to do. _Might as well try the other option_, he thought. "Listen, Numera. I have a client who is looking for other Cyberse users, you know. For help in a coming 'Crisis'. If you accept, then he'll be grateful for your assistance."

She put a hand to her chin and thought about it before responding. "I wonder, does this 'Crisis' have anything to do with the Hanoi?"

Raguel nearly fell over in shock. "What do you know about the Hanoi?" he demanded, surprised that this little girl knew anything about the Hanoi. He even considered, for a brief moment, whether she was a Lost Incident victim or not. _If she's a victim of the Lost Incident, then that would answer a lot of questions_, he thought.

Numera snickered. "Enough information to surprise you," she replied. "If you like, we can settle this dilemma over a duel."

"Fine by me," Raguel replied. "If I win, you will tell me three things. One: What you know about the Hanoi. Two: How you got those Cyberse cards. Three: Why you would need my help in the first place. Also, should I win, not only will you let me log out, you'll also help us."

"Very well. I agree to those demands," Numera said. However, her smile turned mischievous. "But if I win, you'll help me with my mission, whenever I require your assistance. Understand?"

"YOU BETTER WIN THIS DUEL YUHIRO!" Roxy shouted in Raguel's earpiece. "Because if you don't, you're going to be in a bigger pickle than you already are! And that will be nothing once you return to the real world!"

"She's right," Herald added. "Considering the situation we're in now, we better be careful. After all, who knows what her Cyberse deck can do?"

Raguel scowled. Right now, he didn't have a choice. He did not want to help out another person, as he was already focused on completing tasks for both Monty and Watchman. Unfortunately, with the security field active, he couldn't leave. Despite the complications he faced, the reward was worth the risk, as it would help in the future.

Raguel sighed. "Very well. I accept your terms."

"Wonderful." Numera raised her left arm in the air, causing the giant robot behind her to turn into particles and return to her Duel Disk.

Within moments, a data stream appeared and blew right past them. Both duelists headed for the data stream, jumped in the air, and onto their duel boards. Numera rode a board with black edges that had white stripes around the mid section. The board also had orange flames near the front and a red foot panel in the center.

"Speed Duel!" they shouted.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Numera: 4000 LP**

"Since I forced you into this duel," Numera said, "it's only fair you get to go first."

"Only if you insist," Raguel said. "My turn! I Set two cards face down and activate the Continuous-Spell card, Lock and Load!" The card showed Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M charging up its two swords on a scale. "Whenever I Link Summon a monster, I can place a 'Rev' counter on this card!"

"Next I summon Cyreath Valkyrie!" A female warrior with dark red hair, dressed in a long leather loincloth with matching leather brassiere and knee-high boots, appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Valkyrie ATK: 1600 DEF: 1300 LVL: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are 1 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Valkyrie in the Link Marker!" Valkyrie went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1 **⬇️

"Since I Link Summoned, Lock and Load gains a 'Rev' counter!"

**Lock and Load RVC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"Scorpius' effect!" Raguel continued. "Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Valkyrie!"

Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Valkyrie grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Valkyrie ATK: 1600 DEF: 1300 LVL: 4**

"Appear, for the second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a second Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Scorpius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Valkyrie, in the Link Markers!" This time, Valkyrie went into the top arrowhead, while Scorpius went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the right Extra Monster Zone. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2 **⬆️⬇️

"Lock and Load's effect!"

**Lock and Load RVC: 1 + 1 = 2**

"With that, I end my turn," Raguel concluded.

"Not a bad set-up, Raguel," Herald said, looking at Raguel's field. "One more Link Summon and Lock and Load gets another counter, which will let you activate its effect once you have three! And should you summon a monster to a zone Chariot Commander points to, you can destroy any card she has on your next turn!"

"If we can get through the next turn, that is," Raguel stated.

"My turn! I draw!" Numera said as she drew a card. She then swiped her hand in front of her, revealing her cards. She smiled to herself.

_Not a bad opening hand_, she thought_. _With this hand, she can push Raguel into a corner.

"First, I summon Mathmech Sigma from my hand!" A red and white robot carrying a bladed sword appeared on Numera's field. The robot had blue eyes, and on the top of its head was two white spikes that were curved.

**Mathmech Sigma ATK: 1000 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4**

"Next I activate the effect of Mathmech Subtraction! I can target 1 monster on the field and reduce its attack points by 1000 until the end of the turn. By doing this, I can Special Summon this monster from my hand, in exchange for it not attacking this turn!" This time, a red robot with a huge scarf and slimmer sword joined Numera's field. The robot had two white spikes on each of its shoulders and on top of its head, as well as a red spike on its kneecaps.

**Mathmech Subtraction ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"That's not good!" Herald exclaimed as Subtraction charged forward and slashed Chariot Commander, reducing its attack points to 1000. Raguel couldn't help but agree with Herald.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 – 1000 = 1000**

"Level 4 Mathmech Sigma tunes Level 4 Mathmech Subtraction!" Numera declared, smiling in excitement for what's to come. A bolt of red lightning appeared as the whole world greyed out and her two monsters disintegrated into particles. Two rings, one yellow and one red, appeared before turning blue and merging. Eight blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "4 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "8" as light surged through the rings.

"Through code and metal," Numera chanted, "mighty Sigma will obtain a new evolution, ready for battle! Synchro Summon! Appear, Mathmech Magma!" A red and white robot with a massive, black cape emerged from the light and in the right Extra Monster Zone. The robot had white spikes on its head and on its broad shoulders. The robot also carried a sword that was curved throughout the blade, in the shape of waves. Fire erupted from the tip of the sword as Magma swung the sword, ready for battle.

**Geomathmech Magma ATK: 2500 DEF: 0 LVL: 8**

"I Set two cards face-down. Battle! Geomathmech Magma attacks Cyreath Chariot Commander! Fiery Slash!" Magma charged forward and was about cleave Chariot Commander in two, when...

"Quick-Play Spell, activate!" Raguel interjected. "Cyreath Rebound! This card not only negates the attack, but inflicts damage to you equal to your monsters attack!" Chariot Commander grabbed the sword with its hands and pushed Magma back. A blue laser then fired right out of Cyreath Rebound and towards Numera, but...

"I activate a Quick-Play Spell card as well!" Numera said. "This one is called Spell of Pain! Any effect damage I would have taken is now inflicted to you instead!" She giggled as the blue laser hit a purple shield that appeared from Spell of Pain. The shield then reflected the laser right back at Raguel, going through his stomach and causing him to go on one knee.

**Raguel: 4000 – 2500 = 1500 LP**

"Hooray! I'm winning, I'm winning!" Numera cheered as Raguel got back up on his feet. She quickly added, "I end my turn. Which means the effect of Mathmech Subtraction ends." As Chariot Commander regained its strength, Numera said, "You still got a chance, Raguel. So show me what you got!"

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 1000 + 1000 = 2000**

"Oh, don't worry," Raguel muttered, "I'll totally show you what I got."

"You alright, buddy?" Herald asked him. "That Spell of Pain card did a number on you, didn't it?"

"Obviously." Raguel replied. "But as long as we have life points, we still got a shot. My turn! I draw!" Raguel drew a card from the top of his deck and looked at Numera's field. _She has one Synchro monster and two face-down cards_, he thought. _If I play this just right, I can deal some damage_.

"I summon Cyreath Miner!" A small, male wearing mining gear and carrying mining equipment soon appeared on the field.

**Cyreath Miner ATK: 0 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set Cyreath Miner in the Link Marker!" Miner went into the top arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 1! Cyreath Pseudo!" A watery spirit with one eye, two long arms, and a tail was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Chariot Commander pointed to.

**Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 0 LINK-1** ⬆️

"Miner's effect!" Raguel continued. "As it was used to Link Summon, I can add any card from my Graveyard to my hand!" Using Miner's effect, Raguel added Cyreath Rebound to his hand.

"Since I Link Summoned, Lock and Load's effect activates again!"

**Lock and Load RVC: 2 + 1 = 3**

"Chariot Commander's effect! Since a monster was summoned to a zone it points to, I can destroy 1 card you control! And I choose Mathmech Magma!" Chariot Commander fired a fireball at Mathmech Magma, incinerating the robot and turning it into particles.

"I activate Mathmech Magma's effect!" Numera interrupted. "Since it was destroyed by battle or an opponent's card effect, I can add a 'Mathmech' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Using Mathmech Magma's effect, Numera added Mathmech Equation to her hand.

"I activate Cyreath Pseudo's effect!" Raguel said. "It gains attack points equal to the attack points of the monster it's pointing to! Since it points to Chariot Commander, it gains 2000 attack points!" Pseudo morphed into a duplicate of Chariot Commander as its strength increased.

**Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 0 + 2000 = 2000**

"I'll then activate my Trap card, Godly Fellowship!" The card showed Cyreath Hercules, Cyreath Barbarian, Cyreath Archer, Cyreath Icarus, Cyreath Valkyrie, and Cyreath Legionnaire on a quest. "I can target 1 'Cyreath' Link Monster I control and add 'Cyreath' monsters from my deck to my hand equal to its Link Rating. I target Chariot Commander!" Using Godly Fellowship, Raguel added Cyreath Sphinx and Cyreath Rippler to his hand.

"I activate the effect of Cyreath Sphinx from my hand!" Raguel continued. "Since I added this card from my deck to my hand due to a card effect, I can Special Summon it from my hand!" A creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion joined its Cyreath companions on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Sphinx ATK: 1200 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Sphinx's effect! I can declare the top card of my deck and reveal it to you. If I guess correctly, I can draw an additional card. Otherwise, I must send it to the Graveyard."

"You're gambling?" Numera asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Raguel countered. "I'm trusting in my deck to guide me to victory! I declare the top card of my deck to be a Trap card!" Raguel drew the top card of his deck and looked at it. He groaned. "The card was Cyreath Wandering Soul. Since it's a Monster and not a Trap card, I must send it to the Graveyard."

"So I guess that didn't work after all, huh?" Numera said, giggling.

"That's where you're wrong," Raguel said, surprising her. "A minor setback like that won't stop me. I activate the effect of Cyreath Wandering Soul from my Graveyard! By banishing it, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field!" A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Excellent work, Raguel!" Herald said. "You're all set for a Link Summon!"

"You're right on that, Herald." Raguel replied. He thrust out his right hand as he said, "Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Pseudo, which is a Link 1 monster, the Cyreath Wanderer token, and Cyreath Sphinx in the Link Markers!" The Wanderer token entered the top arrowhead, Pseudo entered the left arrowhead, and Sphinx entered the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Heed the captain's call! Link 3! Cyreath Galactic Squid!" A red-skinned octopus with a white underbelly and four tentacles was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Chariot Commander was pointing to. The squid had black eyes flashing yellow dots, and multiple rows of teeth within its maw.

**Cyreath Galactic Squid ATK: 2300 LINK-3** ⬅️➡️⬆️

"Since I Link Summoned, Lock and Load's effect activates!"

**Lock and Load RVC: 3 + 1 = 4**

"Galactic Squid's effect! When it's Link Summoned, I can target two Main Monster Zones on your side of the field, and you can't use them as long as this card is on the field! I choose your left and right Main Monster Zones! Ink Burst!" Galactic Squid fired two blasts of ink at those zones, turning them black and preventing Numera from using them.

"No, no, no!" she cried, panicking. "My strategy is falling apart!"

"You're strategy is going to fall apart even more!" Raguel added. "Chariot Commander's effect! "Since a monster was summoned to a zone it points to, I can destroy one card you control! And I choose your face-down card on the left!" Chariot Commander threw a fireball at Numera's face-down card on the left, turning it into particles.

"Her whole field is good to go, Yuhiro! With these two attacks, the win is in the bag!" Roxy told him.

"It totally is Roxy!" Raguel said. Going back to the duel, he said, "I Set one card. Battle! Cyreath Galactic Squid attacks you directly Numera! Constricting Suction!" Galactic Squid raised its tentacles at Numera when...

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Rebellion!" Numera interrupted mischievously. "I can target 1 monster you control and take control of it until the End Phase! I choose your Cyreath Chariot Commander!" Chariot Commander's eyes turned red as it disappeared from Raguel's field and then reappeared onto her field. "Are you going to continue your attack, Raguel?"

_Sorry about this, Chariot Commander_, Raguel thought. "A battle replay occurs. Cyreath Galactic Squid attacks Cyreath Chariot Commander! Constricting Suction!" Galactic Squid wrapped its tentacles around Chariot Commander, squeezing it so tight it exploded into particles.

**Numera: 4000 – 300 = 3700 LP**

"You were just played by a little girl!" Roxy commented.

"It was clever of her to use that card during my turn," Raguel rebutted. "Otherwise, she would only be able to attack with the targeted monster. While I forgot about Rebellion, I still got some damage in, though."

"True, but _way_ less than what you wanted." Roxy stated. "Wait. Did you just say you forgot to destroy Rebellion? If you had, you would've won!"

"Even I make mistakes Roxy," Raguel told her. "I'll finish her on my next turn." Focusing back to the duel, he said, "I end my turn."

"My turn! I draw!" Numera said, drawing the top card of her deck. _I'm in a pickle here_, Numera thought as she looked at her field. Due to that Galactic Squid of his, he managed to reduce her Main Monster Zones to one. Her smile widened though as she looked at the card she drew. _But I can flip the odds in my favor with this one card_.

"Hey Raguel. I activate the Spell card, Pot of Greed!" Raguel's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing that card. "It lets me draw two cards from the top of my deck!" Using Pot of Greed, Numera drew the top two cards from her deck.

"Pot of Greed is a really old card, you know," Herald commented. "With the arrival of Link Monsters, people managed to find new ways of adding the cards they wanted to their hand, to the point where..."

"Pot of Greed no longer found a place in any deck." Raguel finished for him. Rather, it instead became an antique card.

"I activate the Spell card, Mathmech Equation from my hand!" Numera said, continuing her turn. "This card lets me target a 'Mathmech' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! In addition, it gains 1000 attack points until the end of my turn! Return, Mathmech Magma!" The red and white robot with a massive black cape from earlier reappeared in the middle Main Monster Zone on Numera's field.

**Geomathmech Magma ATK: 2500 DEF: 0 LVL: 8**

**Geomathmech Magma ATK: 2500 + 1000 = 3500**

"I know what you're thinking, Raguel. You're going to use Cyreath Rebound to stop my attack and win the duel." Numera smiled and narrowed her eyes. "But that's _not_ going to happen. I activate my Skill, Mathmech Decompiling!" The final sigma lines on her arms and the nabla necklace around her neck glowed orange. "Since I control a 'Mathmech' monster, I can target 1 Link Monster you control and destroy it, and then Special Summon 'Mathmech' monsters from my hand, deck or Graveyard up to its Link Rating!" Her smile soon turned into a mischievous smirk. "I see only one Link Monster on your field, Raguel. Which means I target and destroy Cyreath Galactic Squid!"

"Oh no!" both Raguel and Herald exclaimed, as Numera snapped her fingers, causing Galactic Squid to vanish in binary code.

"Since Cyreath Galactic Squid left the field," Raguel explained, "your Main Monster Zones that I targeted earlier can now be used." As Raguel said this, the black ink on those Main Monster Zones vanished, freeing them up for her to use.

"Cyreath Galactic Squid's Link Rating was three, so I can Special Summon up to three 'Mathmech' monsters from my hand, deck or Graveyard," Numera clarified. "However, I only have two Main Monster Zones, so I can only Special Summon up to two 'Mathmech' monsters. Therefore, I'll choose to Special Summon only Mathmech Subtraction from my Graveyard!" The red robot with a huge scarf and slimmer sword reappeared beside Magma, ready for battle.

**Mathmech Subtraction ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

Raguel raised an eyebrow. She could have summoned Mathmech Sigma as well as Subtraction, and then attack with all three. But she didn't. Why? He soon realized the answer to that question. Numera was planning something _big_.

"Level 8 Mathmech Magma tunes Level 4 Mathmech Subtraction!" Numera said, but Raguel interrupted her.

"Hang on! You need a Tuner monster to Synchro Summon!" In response, Numera wagged her finger at him.

"Mathmech Magma is not only a Synchro monster, but a Tuner monster as well!" she explained, making Raguel gasp in the process.

"I tune the Level 8 Mathmech Magma with the Level 4 Mathmech Subtraction!" Numera declared, squealing in excitement for the appearance of her ace monster. A bolt of red lightning appeared as the whole world greyed out and her two monsters disintegrated into particles. Two rings, one white and one red, appeared before turning blue and merging. This time, twelve blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "8 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "12" as light surged through the rings.

"Code, Metal, and Fire combine into one!" Numera declared. "Sigma's ultimate evolution has been reached, and is now ready to incinerate all who oppose it! Synchro Summon! Appear, my protector! Geomathmech Final Sigma!" A massive red and white robot, bigger than its brethren, emerged from the light and on Numera's field in the right Extra Monster Zone, carrying a blazing sword. The robot had shredded pieces of a cape on both its shoulders and its waist.

**Geomathmech Final Sigma ATK: 3000 DEF: 0 LVL: 12**

"And in case you were planning on using Cyreath Rebound or another card to stop my monster, I'll have you know. While Final Sigma is in the Extra Monster Zone, he is unaffected by card effects, except by 'Mathmech' cards."

"What?!" Raguel exclaimed, shocked that such a monster had blanket immunity against his cards. _Great_, he thought. _Cyreath Rebound and Cyreath Rippler won't be able to stop this monster now. However, there is still one thing I got left_.

"This match is over!" Numera announced. "But just as a contingency, I Set one card face-down. Battle! Geomathmech Final Sigma attacks you directly, Raguel! Scorching Termination!" Final Sigma charged forward at Raguel, with the intent on finishing the duelist off. Moments before the attack connected though...

"I activate my Skill, Call of Olympus!" Raguel suddenly said. "I can Special Summon 1 random 'Cyreath' monster straight from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck. When he looked at the card, he smirked, happy with what he got. _This will get me through to my turn_, Raguel thought. "Through my Skill, I summon Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M.!" An armored warrior with purple eyes and spikes on its arms, shoulders, and helmet appeared on Raguel's field. It carried two ghoulish swords, which gave the warrior an eerie glow.

**Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M. ATK: 2800 DEF: 2000 LVL: 7**

"Since I don't have a Link Monster, the second part of my Skill doesn't activate," Raguel added. "But that's not important. With the appearance of my new monster, the question for you Numera is: Are you going to continue your attack or not?"

Numera didn't need to think, as she immediately responded, "A battle replay occurs! Geomathmech Final Sigma attacks Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M.! Scorching Termination!" As Final Sigma clashed swords with P.H.A.N.T.O.M., she continued, "Final Sigma's second effect activates! If it's in the Extra Monster Zone when it battles a monster you control, all battle damage is doubled!"

Final Sigma pushed P.H.A.N.T.O.M. back, breaking the sword struggle between them before vertically slicing the armored warrior in two, destroying and turning it into particles.

**Raguel: 1500 – (200 X 2) = 1100 LP**

"I activate Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M.'s effect!" Raguel said. "If it's destroyed by battle, I can target one 'Cyreath' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! Return, Cyreath Chariot Commander!" Chariot Commander reappeared onto Raguel's field, in the right Main Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2 **⬆️⬇️

Numera slowed her duel board down so she could be parallel with Raguel. "Nicely played," she said, praising him. "It's been a while since someone survived a turn against my Final Sigma."

"Are you telling me that all of your other opponents who dueled against you fell to that giant monstrosity?!" Herald exclaimed.

To both Raguel and Herald's surprise, Numera was actually insulted by that comment. "DO NOT CALL MY PROTECTOR A MONSTER, UNDERSTAND?" This caused Herald to shriek in fear.

"That was actually low, Herald," Raguel told Herald. Turning to Numera, he asked, "But answer the question. The duelists you fought in the past. They were all defeated by Final Sigma, weren't they?"

Her anger dropped a bit as she frowned and answered, "Yup. Nothing can defeat Final Sigma once it's on the field."

_Then there's only two ways to win the duel_, Raguel pondered. _Either with a monster that can destroy it by battle, or by attacking her directly_. He smirked. Good thing he had both options. As well as Herald and his deck, whom he can both count on. "In that case, I'll be the first to defeat your protector."

"You can try." Numera taunted. "I end my turn."

"Alright, it's my turn! I draw!" Raguel said as he drew the top card of his deck.

"Anything good?" Herald asked, as Raguel looked at the card he drew.

"Not yet," Raguel replied. "But this card can change the odds in my favor." Focusing on the duel, he said, "I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Treasure from my hand! This card allows me to draw 2 cards, in exchange for discarding 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand!" Raguel discarded Cyreath Rippler from his hand and drew two new cards from his deck. When he looked at them, he was happy with what he got.

"I summon Cyreath Icarus from my hand!" An angelic warrior with a white tunic and brown sandals, carrying a modified bow joined Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LVL: 3**

"Icarus' effect!" Raguel continued. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Return, Cyreath Miner!" The small miner soon reappeared on the field.

**Cyreath Miner ATK: 0 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Chariot Commander, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Miner, in the Link Markers!" Chariot Commander split into two and entered the left and right arrowheads, while Miner entered the bottom-left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Take to the skies and bring terror from above! Link 3! Cyreath Stymphalian Bird!" A massive bronze bird the size of a crane with long blue hair at the back of its head emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field. The bird had a beak of bronze, sharp metallic feathers on its wings, and razor sharp claws. Its orange eyes looked down at Numera as it screeched at her.

**Cyreath Stymphalian Bird ATK: 2000 LINK-3** ⬅️➡️↙️

"Miner's effect! Since it was used to Link Summon, I can add any card from my Graveyard to my hand!" Using Miner's effect, Raguel added Cyreath Rebound to his hand once again.

"That's an interesting monster you got, Raguel," she commented. "However, you won't get to use it. I activate the Continuous-Trap card, Shadow Spell! Not only does your monster lose 700 attack points, it cannot attack nor change its battle position! Your attempts at defeating me end here!" Several chains shot out of Shadow Spell, but Stymphalian Bird shot out several metallic feathers from its wings in response, destroying the card. "How did your monster do that?"

"It's simple," Raguel replied, smiling. "When Cyreath Stymphalian Bird is Link Summoned, I can destroy one Spell or Trap card you control. In this case, I destroyed Shadow Spell!"

"What?" Numera widened her eyes in surprise. However, she quickly became confident again, as she said, "Nevertheless, your bird is no match for Final Sigma."

"Who said I was going to attack Final Sigma?" Raguel said, making Numera raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Perhaps we need to show her, Raguel." Herald stated.

"That we can agree on, Herald." Raguel responded. He thrust out his right hand. "I activate Stymphalian Bird's second effect. By banishing a monster from my Graveyard, it can attack you directly this turn." He then smirked. "However, if the banished monster was a Link Monster, it can attack you directly equal to its Link Rating!"

This made Numera panic for real. Other than Final Sigma, she had no other defenses against Raguel's cards. But Raguel wasn't declaring an attack on Final Sigma. He was attacking _her_ directly.

"Using Stymphalian Bird's effect, I banish Cyreath Chariot Commander!" As Raguel said this, the bronze colored bird glowed in blue flames. "And since Chariot Commander's Link Rating was two, that means it can attack you directly two times!"

"Oh, this isn't going to end well, isn't it?" Numera said, putting a hand to her face as she accepted the fact that she lost. She then smiled to herself. _At least he isn't going to destroy my protector_, she thought.

"It definitely isn't!" Raguel confirmed. "Battle! Cyreath Stymphalian Bird attacks you directly, Numera! Blazing Drill Bomb!" Stymphalian Bird flew high into the air away from Numera before divebombing and flying away from her at the last second, causing her to wobble a bit before regaining balance.

**Numera: 3700 – 2000 = 1700 LP**

"The battle still continues! Cyreath Stymphalian Bird attacks you directly a second time! Blazing Drill Bomb!" Stymphalian Bird turned around and divebombed Numera with more force, causing her to scream and fall off her duel board.

**Numera: 1700 – 2000 = 0**

"Oh no!" Raguel exclaimed upon seeing his opponent fall off her duel board. He was about to fire his duel anchor at her when Final Sigma headed straight for Numera instead, catching the little girl in its hands and landing on the street below.

"Whoa. Did you see what I just saw?" Herald asked Raguel, making sure he wasn't seeing things.

"Yeah. I did," Raguel affirmed as he headed toward the same street Numera was.

What Raguel failed to notice, however, was that a woman was watching the entire duel on a nearby building.

The woman pressed a few buttons on her Duel Disk and adjusted the static on her earpiece. "I'm reporting to let you know that I found Raguel's Ignis. As well as another Cyberse User."

"Are you sure?" the person on the end asked her.

"I am." The woman grunted in annoyance. "You should know that I'm honor-bound to tell the truth, _Kitamura_, especially in my hunts. Didn't your bosses tell you this?"

"Uh, yes. They did." Kitamura awkwardly answered her. "Very well. The mission remains the same. Defeat Raguel and obtain his Ignis. As for this other Cyberse User, I'll let you handle the matter, SengokuQueen."

"Thank you. I'll give you the details once I'm done the mission." Before Kitamura could respond, she pressed a button on her Duel Disk and ended the call. She then jumped down onto the street below, where she then entered an alleyway.

_After Raguel's duel..._

Raguel ran towards where Numera was, where she climbed out of Final Sigma's hands and dusted herself off. As she did that, the massive robot behind her turned into particles and returned to her Duel Disk.

"You know, I'm surprised that you didn't destroy my protector," Numera said, smiling. "How come you didn't?"

Raguel answered her as he narrowed his eyes. "Earlier in the duel, you said that Final Sigma wasn't a monster, but rather your protector. That implied you had a special bond with it. I respect those that care for their Duel Monsters. After all, I take care of one in the real world."

"And considering your 'protector' is a Cyberse monster," Herald added, "it was better for it to live on than be destroyed."

Numera's smile turned into a smirk. "You know, it's funny. You and I are not so different. We both have a common enemy, and we care for our Cyberse monsters."

Raguel nodded. "That I can agree on. But still," he said, "you must honor your end of the deal and comply to my demands."

Numera sighed, ready to answer Raguel's three questions. But before Raguel could ask her the three questions on his mind, he heard a sound.

He turned around. "Stay behind me," he warned Numera, who was quick to comply. The next thing he knew, a light-green Duel Anchor was shot out at nowhere. On instinct, Raguel raised his right arm across his face, and the light-green cord wrapped around his wrist. Numera couldn't help but gasp at what she was seeing.

"Greetings Raguel," a female voice said. When Raguel and Numera turned around to identify the voice, they saw a woman walk out of a nearby alleyway. The woman wore a red jumpsuit with light samurai armor covering her arms, shoulders, legs, hips and chest. She had long, unkempt and free-flowing white hair with red eyes. A samurai mask was used to cover her mouth.

"Who are you?" Raguel demanded from her.

"My name is SengokuQueen," the woman answered him. "And on behalf of SOL Technologies, your Ignis is mine!"

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Valkyrie (LV: 4/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1300)_

_If this card destroys a monster by battle: Place 1 'Shred' counter on this card (max: 4). Gains 200 ATK for each 'Shred' counter on this card. If this card is used to Link Summon a monster while it had a 'Shred' counter on it, the Link Summoned monster gains 800 ATK until the end of the turn._

_Cyreath Sphinx (LV: 4/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1000)_

_If this card was added from your deck to your hand by a card effect, you can Special Summon it from your hand. Once per turn, you can declare 1 type of card (Monster, Spell, or Trap); reveal the top card of your deck to your opponent. If the top card was the declared type, you can draw an additional card. Otherwise, send it to the GY._

_Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M. (LV: 7/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2000)_

_You can Normal Summon this card without tributing, but its original ATK and DEF become halved. If this card is destroyed by battle: You can target 1 'Cyreath' monster in your GY; Special Summon it._

_Lock and Load (Continuous Spell Card)_

_When you Link Summon: Place 1 'Rev' counter on this card. Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can remove 3 'Rev' counters from this card; destroy 1 card your opponent controls._

_Godly Fellowship (Normal Trap Card)_

_Target 1 'Cyreath' Link Monster you control; add 'Cyreath' monsters from your deck to your hand equal to its Link Rating._

_Cyreath Pseudo (LR: 1/Cyberse/Water/ATK: 0/__⬆️__)_

_1 monster. This card gains ATK equal to the monster it's pointed to._

_Cyreath Galactic Squid (LR: 3/Cyberse/Water/ATK: 2300/__⬅️➡️⬆️__)_

_2 or more 'Cyreath' monsters. When this card is Link Summoned: Target 2 Main Monster Zones on your opponent's side of the field; they cannot be used while this card is on the field. If you control no other monsters: You can tribute this card; shuffle all cards on the field back into their owner's decks._

_Cyreath Stymphalian Bird (LR: 3/Cyberse/Wind/ATK: 2000/__️__⬅️➡️__️↙️__)_

_2 or more 'Cyreath' monsters. When this card is Link Summoned: You can destroy 1 Spell or Trap card your opponent controls. Once per turn: You can banish 1 monster from your GY; this card can attack your opponent directly, then, if the monster banished by this effect was a Link Monster: This card can attack your opponent directly equal to its Link Rating. _

**QOTC**

_Would you like to see a profile page for Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 11: Samurai Showdown. Just before Raguel could get information from Numera, a bounty hunter out of nowhere appears and challenges him to a duel, with Herald on the line! Despite Raguel's best efforts, SengokuQueen counters his strategies by using her 'Bushido Combo'. Can Raguel figure out her 'Bushido Combo' before its too late?_

**Responses to Reviews and Authors Notes**

Thank you to HunterHQ, ZarcEternal, Guest, Guest, Noobmaster, Unnamed, Unknown, Guest, and Anonymous for reviewing Chapter 9 of Obscured Truth.

Surprise! I told you this chapter would be posted in early January, and when I make a promise, I'll do my best to keep it. Also, with the release of Chapter 10, it's the first chapter to be released this year. For those of you that are confused as to when this chapter takes place, Chapters 10 and 11 take place during Episode 21 of Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS. We'll talk about what happened this chapter, the QOTC, and then responses to reviews.

One of the first things that happens this chapter is the reveal of Watchman's real name, which is Arshad Saito. Upon this reveal, Revolver manages to convince his father to try and sway him to their side, to which his father agrees. For those of you who are curious about Watchman's name, Arshad means 'most mature' or 'most wise', while Saito conveys an image of purity and divine worship.

The second main thing that happens this chapter is the introduction of two new characters, which are the youngest and oldest students to ever attend Den Academy. The first character is Savagemaster1999's OC character submission, Gekiryushi Sanada, who is also known in LINK VRAINS as SengokuQueen. She is a bounty hunter contacted by Bishop himself to help Kitamura in retrieving Playmaker and Raguel's Ignis's. Savagemaster1999, if you're reading this, I hope you enjoyed the introduction of your OC. I also hope you enjoy your OC's first duel next chapter.

The other character officially introduced in this chapter is Rachel Miyake, who is also known in LINK VRAINS as Numera (credit goes to HunterHQ for helping with the name). She uses the Mathmech deck, which focuses on setting up an OTK through Synchro Summoning and/or powerful removal through Xyz Summoning. Rachel was the little girl that appeared in the second post-credit scene of the previous chapter. Her real-life appearance is based on Renne Bright from Sora no Kiseki, while her LINK VRAINS appearance is based on Assassin of Black from Fate/Apocrypha, only with way less body-revealing elements. Rachel's personality is based on Spinel from Steven Universe as well, which I recommend watching, as the show tackles and teaches about mental health.

Speaking about mental health, we learn something else about Yuhiro: As a result from the Lost Incident, he suffers from anxiety attacks, in addition to nightmares. This will be expanded on as the story goes on. **Note: If you have anxiety or another mental illness and are suffering in silence, tell someone how you feel. You are stronger than you think.**

Finally, there was the duel between Raguel and Numera, where something interesting happened. Instead of destroying Geomathmech Final Sigma, whom Numera called her 'protector', Raguel chose to end the duel by attacking her directly. This shows something else about Raguel: he respects those who care about their Duel Monsters.

After the duel, before Raguel can get answers from Numera, he's immediately roped into a duel by SengokuQueen. How their duel will play out, you'll have to read Chapter 11 to find out.

Before I go onto reviews, I want to know your thoughts to the QOTC. Let me know if you think it would be a good idea to post a profile page for Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. If enough people request it, then I will make profiles for characters that so far appeared in the story.

With that out of the way, it's time for the reviews:

HunterHQ: Roxy's revenge (and the court matter) will be brought up in another chapter. I'm happy that you like the gauntlets, as well as the appearance of Cyreath Goblin. I use dub lines to not only make the story more realistic, I also want those who watch the dub and those who watch the sub to enjoy the story together. To answer your question, Watchman dueled Ghost Girl because she was in his way and wouldn't budge.

ZarcEternal: Thank you very much. You'll be happy to hear that Chapter 9 has been corrected and updated.

Guest: No. Rachel is not the eighth victim.

Guest: Yuhiro wasn't brought to an orphanage. Rather, he was brought to the Den City Shelter. Oh, and thanks for pointing that out to me. I actually forgot about it until now.

Noobmaster: If you want to know about the mystery killer's identity, then I encourage you to keep on reading.

Unnamed: While Watchman knows about the Hanoi, he doesn't know where their HQ server is, unfortunately. His backstory will eventually be revealed, though. As for whether he can return to his body or not, you'll have to read on ahead.

Unknown: Ghost Girl has morals, unlike Blood Shepherd. In that scenario, though, you could say she was caught up in the moment. As for the data on the Lost Incident, SOL always keeps backups in case of emergency, making them available for Raguel and Watchman to take. Oh, and regarding Herald's transformation into a hydra, good job spotting it.

Guest: If enough people request an OP or ED, then perhaps I'll make one once Season 2 comes.

Anonymous: Aoi piecing together Raguel's identity together made things pretty tense, as shown in this chapter. As for whether she'll ask about the other Ignis, you'll have to wait and see.

Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews, as well as any questions, comments, or opinions you may have. Also, if you find any mistakes in this chapter during the duel, don't hesitate to let me know, and I'll edit them. Your reviews will help me improve as a writer. See you next time!


	11. Chapter 11: Samurai Showdown

**Chapter 11: Samurai Showdown**

Raguel was not happy with the situation he was in. Just moments before he could get worthwhile information from Numera, a female samurai came out of nowhere and roped him into a duel! One that he didn't have time for in the moment.

The light-green cord snaked around Raguel's wrist vanished as the female samurai, or SengokuQueen as she called herself, spoke. "The Duel Anchor prevents you from logging out." She activated her Duel Disk as she said that, which revealed a crimson blade with a golden outline. "Now we will duel, and once I defeat you, your Ignis is mine!"

"Ignis? What are you talking about?" Numera demanded from SengokuQueen.

"She means me," Herald deduced, causing Numera to turn to him. "And if she's after me, then she's probably after my comrade as well."

"But that's not going to happen!" Raguel bravely said, glaring at SengokuQueen. "You said that you were sent from SOL Technologies. Are you some sort of bounty hunter?"

"That is correct," SengokuQueen confirmed, momentarily closing her eyes before reopening them. "I'll have you know that the higher-ups themselves contacted me to acquire not just your Ignis, but Playmaker's as well!"

_I can't let her get Herald, nor can I let her go after Playmaker_, Raguel thought. This meant he had only one option. He had to defeat the bounty hunter in front of him.

Raguel put his hand on his earpiece and spoke to Roxy. "Roxy, I need all the information on SengokuQueen asap."

"I'm well aware, Yuhiro." Roxy replied. Based on her tone, Raguel could tell she was pissed. "Tell me you at least defeated Numera."

"I did, don't worry." Raguel affirmed, causing her to relax. "And this duel isn't my fault. It's an Out-of-the-Frying-Pan-and-Into-the-Fire sort of situation."

"Just survive until I can get the information to you," Roxy ordered him. And then she signed off.

Raguel, sighing, activated his Duel Disk. This definitely wasn't his day. "Alright, SengokuQueen. If you insist on challenging me, then I'll accept your challenge! But be warned: I won't be holding back!"

"I expect nothing less from the top agent of the black market!" SengokuQueen snarled back.

"Duel!"

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**SengokuQueen: 4000 LP**

"I shall go first!" SengokuQueen immediately declared. She looked at the cards in front of her. _With this hand_, she thought, _I can begin my Bushido Combo. And once it's established, not even Raguel can stand against it_. "I activate the Spell card, Shien's Smoke Signal! This card lets me add a Level 3 or lower 'Six Samurai' monster from my deck to my hand!" Using Shien's Smoke Signal, SengokuQueen added Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki from her deck to her hand.

"Next, I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Six Samurai United! Each time I Normal or Special Summon a 'Six Samurai' monster, I can place a Bushido counter on this card! Next, I summon Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki from my hand!" A samurai with bronze armor and high boots with yellow lines appeared on SengokuQueen's field, carrying a katana in each arm. The samurai had a bronze mask with wires on his helmet. On the samurai's back was a set of mechanical arms, which also had a katana in each hand.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

"The effect of Six Samurai United activates, letting me put a Bushido counter on it!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"Kageki's effect!" SengokuQueen continued. "When it's Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower 'Six Samurai' monster from my hand. Come to me, The Six Samurai – Zanji!" A samurai holding a naginata also appeared on her field. Unlike Kageki, Zanji wore dark brown armor and shin guards with orange lines. His helmet was also different, as it was curved at the top.

**The Six Samurai – Zanji ATK: 1800 DEF: 1300 LVL: 4**

"United's effect!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 1 + 1 = 2**

"I activate the second effect of Six Samurai United!" SengokuQueen quickly added. "Since the maximum counters it can have is two, I will send it to the Graveyard, and by doing so, I can draw one card for each Bushido counter that was on it. As there were two Bushido counters, I get to draw two cards!" She drew the top two cards of her deck.

"Kageki's second effect! Since I control a 'Six Samurai' monster with a different name, it gains 1500 attack points!"

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 + 1500 = 1700**

"Appear! The circuit of ancient honor!" SengokuQueen said, as a Link Portal soon appeared above her. "The summoning conditions are two monsters, including a 'Six Samurai' monster. I'll set The Six Samurai – Zanji and Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki in the Link Markers!" Zanji went into the bottom-left arrowhead while Kageki went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Battle Shogun of the Six Samurai!" A samurai with black armor and shin pads with pink lines appeared on SengokuQueen's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. This samurai had long black hair tied into a ponytail, with a spiky black beard, as well as a red headband. Battle Shogun carried a long, slim katana in one hand, with two other katanas on his back.

**Battle Shogun of the Six Samurai ATK: 1000 LINK-2** ↙️↘️

"Battle Shogun's effect! By discarding a card, I can add a card from my deck to my hand that has an effect that places a Bushido counter!" Using Battle Shogun's effect, SengokuQueen discarded The Six Samurai – Yaichi to add Gateway of the Six to her hand.

"I then activate the Continuous-Spell card, Gateway of the Six, from my hand!" SengokuQueen continued. "Whenever I Normal or Special Summon a 'Six Samurai' monster, I can place two counters on this card. With that, I Set two cards face-down, and end my turn," she concluded. "Raguel. I already started the duel strong. It would be dishonorable if you did anything less."

"The Six Samurai Archetype is very interesting," Herald observed. "From what I've seen, the opponent you're facing aims to gather Bushido counters to provide her with benefits."

"I can see that, Herald." Raguel said. "My turn! I draw! Since you control a Link Monster, I can Special Summon Cyreath Lava Hound from my hand! However, if it's summoned using this effect, it can only attack Link Monsters!" An overweight volcanic creature with small wings fluttered to Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Lava Hound ATK: 2200 DEF: 1700 LVL: 6**

"Next I summon Cyreath Archer!" A female archer, with pink hair and a light-green cloak, appeared on the field, and strung it's bow at SengokuQueen.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Lava Hound and Cyreath Archer in the Link Markers!" Lava Hound entered the bottom-left arrowhead, while Archer entered the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Machai!" A warrior with two torsos back to back with each other and covered in coal black skin was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone. It had two legs, six arms, and two heads.

**Cyreath Machai ATK: 1600 LINK-2 **↙️↘️

"Lava Hound's effect activates!" Raguel continued. "If it leaves the field for any reason, I can Special Summon 2 'Cyreath Lava Pup' tokens to my field!" Immediately, two smaller pups resembling Lava Hound emerged into existence on the field in the Main Monster Zones Machai was pointing to, only both of them were covered in lava.

**Cyreath Lava Pup Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

**Cyreath Lava Pup Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

"Ah. I see why you did that," Herald said, looking at the field. "So Machai can reap from its effect."

"Something like that," Raguel confirmed. _Since Machai points to both Lava Pups_, Raguel thought, _it can attack two additional times. Still, she has those two face-down cards, so it's better to be safe than sorry_. "I equip Cyreath Machai with the Equip Spell card, Boots of Hermes!" The card showed Cyreath Barbarian putting on boots that had small, feathered wings on them. "A monster equipped with this card can attack directly, but all battle damage inflicted is halved. Also, while equipped, it can't be targeted by card effects once per turn." SengokuQueen gritted her teeth upon hearing that.

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "With the Boots of Hermes, Cyreath Machai will attack you directly!" Machai jumped over Battle Shogun and proceeded to slash SengokuQueen, but...

"I activate my Trap card, Six Style – Duel Wield!" SengokuQueen interjected. "If the only monster I control is one 'Six Samurai' monster in attack position, I can target two cards you control and return them to your hand! I choose your Equip Spell first, and by doing so, I'll also choose Cyreath Machai!" Dual Wield fired two green slices that hit both Machai and the Boots of Hermes, returning one to Raguel's hand and the other to Raguel's Extra Deck.

"That didn't go as planned," Herald commented.

"No kidding." Raguel said. He had to admit, this girl was just as good as Ghost Girl. Unlike Ghost Girl, though, she was straight to the point. Also, she was very calculating.

If Raguel was going to beat her, then he had to out-calculate her. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"My turn! I draw!" SengokuQueen said, as she drew the top card of her deck. "Now for my Bushido Combo to take fruit! I activate another copy of the Continuous-Spell card, Six Samurai United from my hand! I'll also activate my other face-down Trap card, Double-Edged Sword Technique! This card lets me target two 'Six Samurai' monsters in my Graveyard and Special Summon them in attack position! I choose Kageki and Zanji!" As she said that, Kageki and Zanji returned to SengokuQueen's field to the Main Monster Zone's Battle Shogun was pointing to.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

**The Six Samurai – Zanji ATK: 1800 DEF: 1300 LVL: 4**

"Gateway's effect! Since I summoned two 'Six Samurai' monsters, I can place four Bushido counters on this card!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 0 + 4 = 4**

"United's effect also activates as well!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 0 + 2 = 2**

"I activate the second effect of Six Samurai United!" SengokuQueen said. "As it reached the max capacity of how many Bushido counters it can have, I will send it to the Graveyard to draw one card for each Bushido counter that was on it. There were two Bushido counters, so I get to draw two cards!" She drew the top two cards of her deck once again.

"Battle Shogun's effect! Each time a 'Six Samurai' monster is Normal or Special Summoned to a zone it points to, I can place a Bushido counter on it. And for each Bushido counter, it gains 100 attack points!"

**Battle Shogun of the Six Samurai BC: 0 + 2 = 2**

**Battle Shogun of the Six Samurai ATK: 1000 + 200 = 1200**

"Kageki's second effect! Since I control a 'Six Samurai' monster with a different name, it gains 1500 attack points!"

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 + 1500 = 1700**

"Next I summon Kagemusha of the Six Samurai!" A samurai with dark brown armor and shin pads with yellow lines covering his entire body joined SengokuQueen's field. Unlike his brethren, this samurai's mask was a bit taller vertically, and its mask covered his face up to his eyes. Kagemusha cracked his whip, ready for battle.

**Kagemusha of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LVL: 2**

"Gateway's effect!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 4 + 2 = 6 **

"I then activate the effect of Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan from my hand!" SengokuQueen added. "If I control a 'Six Samurai' monster with a different name, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" Another samurai, only with dark blue armor appeared on her field. Unlike his brethren, this samurai's mask did not come with the helmet. His long black hair was on his sides, and he carried a katana in his hands.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan ATK: 1800 DEF: 500 LVL: 4**

"Gateway's effect activates once again!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 6 + 2 = 8**

"Kizan's effect! Since I have two or more other 'Six Samurai' monsters on my field, it gains 300 attack and defense points!"

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan ATK: 1800 + 300 = 2100 DEF: 500 + 300 = 800**

"Level 2 Kagemusha of the Six Samurai tunes Level 3 Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki!" SengokuQueen boldly declared. A bolt of crimson lightning struck her as the world greyed out and her two monsters disappeared into particles. Two rings, one brown and one green, appeared before turning blue and merging. Five blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "2 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to "5" as light surged through the rings.

"The legendary samurai brings fear and death to all his enemies!" SengokuQueen chanted. "Soon, your death shall strengthen his power! Synchro Summon! Emerge from the battlefield, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" A samurai with light crimson armor and golden lines covering his entire body emerged from the light and onto the right Main Monster Zone Battle Shogun was pointing to. This samurai had medium-sized wings with golden lines on his back. On each of his shoulders was a curved spike. His helmet had the Bushido symbol on the top, with the samurai mask having a golden outline. His eyes glowed red as he swung his katana, ready for battle.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 DEF: 1400 LVL: 5**

"Both Gateway's and Battle Shogun's effect activate!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 8 + 2 = 10**

**Battle Shogun of the Six Samurai BC: 2 + 1 = 3**

**Battle Shogun of the Six Samurai ATK: 1200 + 100 = 1300**

"If you think I'm stopping here, then you're seriously wrong!" SengokuQueen said. "Dishonored scum like you must be punished! Appear! The network of the blade!" Her hand glowed light-green as a galaxy portal appeared in the sky above the duelists. "Materials confirmed! The summoning conditions are two Level 4 'Six Samurai' monsters! I overlay the Level 4 The Six Samurai – Zanji with the Level 4 Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan!"

The two warriors immediately turned into streams of black and red energy and entered the portal, where a pillar of light soon erupted from its center.

"Xyz Summon! Like a shadow in the darkness, strike down the unjust with your blade and bring them to justice! Rank 4! Shadow of the Six Samurai – Shien!" A samurai with long red hair tied in a ponytail, as well as half a samurai mask was summoned to the left Main Monster Zone Battle Shogun was pointing to. Unlike his brethren, Shien had an open orange and purple sleeveless coat along with light crimson armor with golden lines.

**Shadow of the Six Samurai – Shien ATK: 2500 DEF: 400 RNK: 4 OU: 2**

"Both Gateway's and Battle Shogun's effect activate once again!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 10 + 2 = 12**

**Battle Shogun of the Six Samurai BC: 3 + 1 = 4**

**Battle Shogun of the Six Samurai ATK: 1300 + 100 = 1400**

"I activate Shadow of the Six Samurai – Shien's effect! By detaching one Overlay Unit, I can target 1 'Six Samurai' monster that has less than 2000 attack points, and if I do, its original attack points become 2000 until my End Phase! I choose Battle Shogun!" As Shien readied his blade, one of the lights behind him went into it, causing both it and Battle Shogun to brightly glow. As a result, Battle Shogun's strength increased.

**Shadow of the Six Samurai OU: 2 – 1 = 1**

"Hang on. Battle Shogun originally had 1000 attack points." Herald calculated. He then realized something. "That means..."

"Battle Shogun gains 1000 attack points and then the attack boost from those Bushido counters." Raguel finished for him.

**Battle Shogun of the Six Samurai ATK: 1400 + 1000 = 2400**

"Good to see that you're catching on." SengokuQueen told him. "Your defeat is almost ready." Thrusting her hand out, she said, "I activate one of Gateway's many effects! By removing two Bushido counters, a 'Six Samurai' or 'Shien' Effect monster gains 500 attack points until the End Phase! And I choose my ace monster, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" Gateway of the Six glowed light-green, as well as Shi En, powering the samurai up.

**Gateway of the Six BC: 12 – 2 = 10**

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000**

"Let's first get rid of those Lava Pups! Battle! Battle Shogun attacks your first Lava Pup token!" Battle Shogun charged forward, with the intent of eliminating the small, volcanic creature.

"Hang on, SengokuQueen!" Raguel interrupted. "I activate my face-down Trap card, Torrential Buster! This card will-!"

"Your Torrential Buster will do NOTHING!" SengokuQueen furiously countered. "I activate Shi En's effect! Once per turn, during either of our turns, when you activate a Spell or Trap card, I can negate and destroy it! Trembling Terror!" Shi En quickly charged forward and slashed Torrential Buster in two, destroying it. "With that, Battle Shogun's attack continues!"

Battle Shogun slashed the first Lava Pup token in two, destroying and turning it into particles. As a result of the destruction, Raguel had to cover his eyes from the smoke as he was slightly pushed back.

**Raguel: 4000 – 1600 = 2400 LP**

"Raguel..." Numera muttered as she watched. If Raguel lost to this bounty hunter, who knows what she would do to her? Especially since she had Cyberse cards.

"The battle continues!" SengokuQueen said. "This time, Shien attacks your second Lava Pup!" Shien evaporated into a shadow before going behind the second Lava Pup and cutting it in two, causing another explosion. However, this explosion sent Raguel flying backwards to the ground.

**Raguel: 2400 – 1700 = 700 LP**

"I expected better from you, Raguel. However, you clearly disappointed me. Nevertheless, this duel is over! Shi En attacks you directly! Crimson Slash of Death!" Shi En charged forward, ready to cut Raguel down and end the duel. But...

"I activate the effect of Cyreath Rippler from my hand!" Raguel suddenly said. "If I control no monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my hand and negate the attack!" SengokuQueen's eyes widened in surprise as a ghoul wearing digital pale robes appeared, carrying a small metal wand and triangle. Rippler hit the triangle using its wand, pushing Shi En back.

**Cyreath Rippler ATK: 100 DEF: 100 LVL: 1**

"Also, the attacking monster is destroyed!" Raguel added. "Agony Ripple!" This time, Rippler unleashed another musical blast that was much stronger than the previous one at Shi En. However...

"I activate Shi En's second effect!" SengokuQueen interjected. "If it would be destroyed, then I can destroy another 'Six Samurai' monster I control instead! Battle Shogun, protect Shi En!" At SengokuQueen's command, Battle Shogun went in front of Shi En and took the full force of the musical blast in Shi En's place, destroying him in the process.

"You destroyed your Link Monster?" Raguel asked, clearly surprised at what she did.

"My Six Samurai have complete loyalty towards Shi En!" SengokuQueen stated. "To the point where they would overcome the fear of death and die for him if needed!" She narrowed her eyes. "I expected to end this duel quickly. But you're just like the rest of your kind."

Raguel raised an eyebrow in response, now curious as to what she meant. "What do you mean by the 'rest of your kind'?"

SengokuQueen closed her eyes. "It's simple. You people on the black market have no honor, whatsoever. You will cheat, lie, and do whatever it takes to get what _you_ want." She then reopened her eyes in anger. "It is due to this that I wish to bring them all to justice! So that they pay for their actions, and so a warning will be sent to anyone else foolish enough to follow in their footsteps!"

"Is that what you honestly think?" Raguel asked her. "You think everyone who works on the black market is cut from the same cloth? Well let me tell you this. Not everyone who works on the black market is evil. That's because everyone's circumstances are different!" He took a breath before continuing. "Take me for example, SengokuQueen. I don't do work on the black market for the sole purpose of making money. Rather, I do this so I can help someone who can't even interact with the outside world!"

For a moment, SengokuQueen's eyes widened in surprise before being narrowed again_. I learned not to trust what people say_, she thought. _If Raguel manages to display something different in the duel though_...

Meanwhile, Roxy, who was watching this duel, frowned as she paid attention to what Raguel said in response to SengokuQueen's comment. She couldn't help but agree with Raguel. That bounty hunter clearly had no idea. No idea what happened to Yuhiro and Miyu.

"And if my words can't convince you SengokuQueen, then my cards will do so instead!" Raguel declared. "So end your turn already!"

SengokuQueen sighed. "Very well, Raguel. This duel will decide what type of person you are. My challenge to you is this: Convince me of your ideals. If you do so, perhaps I might change my opinion of you." She then finished her turn by saying, "I Set one card face-down and end my turn. Which means the effects of Shien and Gateway of the Six end."

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 3000 - 500 = 2500**

"Raguel." Herald said, turning to him. "It's now or never. This next card will decide it."

"That I know. And there's three reasons why the next card I draw will help me win this duel, Herald. One," Raguel held up a finger, "I have faith in my deck, which has helped me time and time again. Two," Raguel held up a second finger, "against insurmountable odds, I can't give up now. Not as long as I have a purpose. Three," Raguel held up a third finger, "I will continue fighting until I fulfil that purpose. Until one day, the one I fight for is able to interact with the world once again!"

Numera paid close attention to what Raguel told Herald, or Ignis as the bounty hunter called him. His willingness to keep fighting against all odds. And the way he dueled against her earlier with his Cyreath deck. _This boy really is different_, Numera thought. _That is why I keep having dreams about him. That is why I sought him out in the first place_.

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel declared. When he looked at the top card of his deck, he smirked. "I activate the effect of Cyreath Chiron from my hand! By revealing this card, I can Special Summon it, as well as one 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard! In exchange, I can only attack with 'Cyreath' Link monsters this turn! And the monster I choose to bring back is Cyreath Lava Hound!" Lava Hound returned to Raguel's field beside Cyreath Rippler.

**Cyreath ****Lava Hound ATK: 2200 DEF: 1700 LVL: 6**

Then a creature with the upper body of a man and the lower body and legs of a horse joined his Cyreath comrades. He had long brown hair tied into a ponytail at the end, along with green eyes. He also wore an archaic style of dress with leather armor being clad onto it. He strung his bow at SengokuQueen.

**Cyreath Chiron ATK: 2100 DEF: 1600 LVL: 6**

"Now, appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Chiron, Cyreath Rippler, and Cyreath Lava Hound in the Link Markers!" Chiron went into the top arrowhead, Rippler went into the bottom-left arrowhead, and Lava Hound went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Rise and protect the innocent from evil! Link 3! Cyreath Nemean Lion!" A white lion with a black mane emerged from the Link Portal and roared as it went onto the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field. On the lion's face was a red and gold mask, with purple spiked fins on either side. The lion also wore red and golden armor on its back, underbelly, shoulders, and legs.

**Cyreath Nemean Lion ATK: 2500 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

"Lava Hound's effect! If it leaves the field for any reason, I can Special Summon 2 'Cyreath Lava Pup' tokens to my field!" Immediately, two smaller pups resembling Lava Hound emerged into existence on the field in the Main Monster Zones Nemean Lion was pointing to, only both of them were covered in lava.

**Cyreath Lava Pup Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

**Cyreath Lava Pup Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

"Nemean Lion's effect!" Raguel continued. "When a monster is summoned to a zone it points to, I can target a card you control and shuffle it into your deck! By doing so, my monster gains 300 attack points until the end of my turn!"

"Since Raguel summoned his 'Lava Pup' tokens to the Main Monster zones Nemean Lion pointed to," Herald explained, "that means he can target up to two cards."

"Exactly!" Raguel said, agreeing with him. Pointing to the field, he said, "And the cards I target are Gateway of the Six and your face-down card! Prideful Roar!" SengokuQueen could do nothing but widen her eyes in shock as Nemean Lion roared, turning Gateway of the Six and her face-down card into particles as they returned to her deck. Nemean Lion's strength then increased.

**Cyreath Nemean Lion ATK: 2500 + 300 + 300 = 3100 **

"Next I activate the Trap card, Cyreath Succession!" The card showed Cymyth Hercules passing down its helmet and gauntlets to Cyreath Barbarian. "If a 'Cyreath' monster I control leaves the field for any reason, I can Special Summon a 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard that is not a Link Monster, in exchange for negating its effects! I choose to bring back Cyreath Chiron from my Graveyard!" On Raguel's command, Chiron returned to the field.

**Cyreath Chiron ATK: 2100 DEF: 1600 LVL: 6**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel said, as another Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set one of my Cyreath Lava Pup tokens in the Link Markers!" One of the Lava Pup tokens went into the bottom-left arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Pseudo!" A watery spirit with one eye, two long arms, and a tail appeared in the left Main Monster Zone Nemean Lion was pointing to.

**Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 0 LINK-1** ⬆️

"Nemean Lion's effect activates again! This time, I'll target Shadow of the Six Samurai – Shien!" SengokuQueen gritted her teeth as Nemean Lion roared once again, sending Shien back to her Extra Deck. After that, Nemean Lion's strength increased.

**Nemean Lion ATK: 3100 + 300 = 3400**

"This next Link Summon will be the last one of the duel!" Raguel declared. "Now, appear, for the final time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A third Link Portal above Raguel appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set my other Cyreath Lava Pup token in the Link Markers!" The second Lava Pup token went into the bottom-left arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Skull Wing!" A small skull with wings was summoned to the right Main Monster Zone Nemean Lion was pointing to.

**Cyreath Skull Wing ATK: 300 LINK-1** ↙️

"Nemean Lion's effect activates one more time!" Raguel said. "Since a monster was summoned to a zone it points to, I can target a card you control and shuffle it into your deck! After that, Nemean Lion gains 300 attack points until the end of the turn. And you only have one card left on your field anyway, so I'll target Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" On Raguel's command, Nemean Lion roared, pushing back Shi En and turning the samurai into particles before returning to the Extra Deck. For the third time, a dark aura surrounded Nemean Lion, increasing his strength.

**Nemean Lion ATK: 3400 + 300 = 3700**

"With all your cards out of the way, it's time to battle!" Raguel declared. "Nemean Lion attacks you directly! Giga Impact!" Nemean Lion charged forward and rammed SengokuQueen, pushing her back and causing her to fall on her butt.

**SengokuQueen: 4000 – 3700 = 300 LP**

"The battle still continues! Cyreath Skull Wing attacks you directly!" Before SengokuQueen could fully get up, Skull Wing flew forward and tackled her to the ground, causing her to fall once again as her life points dropped to zero.

**SengokuQueen: 300 – 300 = 0**

"I can't believe you won." Numera said, approaching Raguel. "I thought you were going to-."

"Lose?" Raguel asked, turning to her. "No. While this and the previous duels were hard, they pale in comparison to another duel that I've been through." He then turned around and walked over to where SengokuQueen was, who stood up and crossed her arms. "Do yourself a favor and stop trying to go after Playmaker and me. I don't know why the higher-ups at SOL want our Ignis's, but I have a bad feeling that it's anything but good." Raguel was about to turn and walk away from her when SengokuQueen spoke up.

"Do you know what a lion represents, Raguel?" When Raguel turned his head, she said, "A lion represents courage, justice, strength, and wisdom. The fact that you have one means you're different from the rest."

"I see." Raguel turned to face her. "If there's anything you can learn from our duel, it's this: Not everyone is evil." He closed his eyes. "If you judge others at their worst, then you're not only criticizing them, you're also labelling them as well."

SengokuQueen simply narrowed her eyes in response. "And understand this, Raguel. As a bounty hunter, my honor prevents me from failing a mission. Which is why the next time we duel, I will win your Ignis and bring it back to SOL. And once I defeat you, then Playmaker is next!" She logged out afterwards.

Raguel frowned at what SengokuQueen said. Soon, he felt his coat being tugged by Numera.

"Let's talk somewhere else, shall we?" Numera said, as she gestured towards a yellow triangle, resembling a gateway.

_In another area of LINK VRAINS..._

"You know, I thought that bounty hunter was going to win the duel," Numera said. She and Raguel were on a rooftop in a different area of LINK VRAINS, overlooking the digital area.

"I thought so, too." Raguel admitted. "While I never faced a bounty hunter before, I did have the experience of working with one."

"And?"

"I hated it." Raguel scowled at the memory. Of when he was at Blood Shepherd's mercy, only for the bounty hunter to let him go, demanding that he become stronger.

"Well," Numera turned to look at Raguel, "I'm glad that you won. Otherwise, there'd be one less Cyberse user."

Raguel turned and smiled. "I guess so. But if you have a goal, and the will to keep going, then you'll one day complete that goal. Oh, that reminds me." He pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk, causing his Duel Disk to display a white dot before going to Numera's. "With this signal, my client will be able to contact you."

"I see." Numera looked at her Duel Disk as the white dot dimmed. "And what about those questions? Do you plan on asking them now?"

"Not right now. I need a break, if you ask me. Well, I guess I will see you once my client calls for us." He turned around and logged out.

Numera smirked. "Raguel... you're a very interesting person. I do hope we meet again."

_At the Den City Regis Hotel..._

Gekiryushi sighed as the blue sphere around her faded away. "Well, that did not go as planned," she said as she got up from her bed.

She went to the bathroom and splashed water on her face, tired from the duel against Raguel. Although she lost against him, she did get valuable information that can be used for their next encounter.

However, something that Raguel told her during the duel bothered Gekiryushi. _Take me for example, SengokuQueen. I don't do work on the black market for the sole purpose of making money. Rather, I do this so I can help someone who can't even interact with the outside world!_

Whenever Gekiryushi dueled, she would show no mercy to any of her targets. This is because her opponents preyed on the innocent and the weak, and as a result, they deserved no mercy.

Yet during her duel against Raguel, he clearly explained to her why he was even working on the black market in the first place. He must have someone in his life who is going through something terrible enough that he would be willing to whatever it took to make them feel better again.

_What would cause someone to not be able to interact with the outside world_, Gekiryushi thought. However, her thoughts were soon interrupted when she heard the hotel phone rang.

She went over and picked it up. "Hello?"

"You failed!" the caller on the other end of the line screeched. Based on the way he shouted, Gekiryushi knew that it was Kitamura.

"Oh, will you give it a rest, Kitamura?" Gekiryushi said, yawning in the process. "It was just one duel, and-."

"IT WAS ONE DUEL THAT I EXPECTED YOU TO WIN!" Kitamura shouted again. "Since you failed, you're not going to get paid. I'm going to let the higher-ups know that-."

"SHUT UP!" Gekiryushi told him, causing Kitamura to go silent. "Listen carefully, Kitamura. Sometimes, a mission takes time to complete. I promised the higher-ups at SOL that I would retrieve both Raguel's and Playmaker's Ignis's. Or should I let them know of how _you're_ dealing with this new development?"

For a few seconds, Kitamura did not speak, as he didn't know what to say and was in shock. Finally, he said, "My apologies, Ms. Sanada. I understand that these things take time. However, I do expect updates in your mission."

"And you and the higher-ups will get them," Gekiryushi promised him. "I just need time. Have a good night." She hung up on Kitamura, now annoyed by his phone call. She looked out of the window that overlooked Den City. _Raguel,_ she thought,_ maybe I misjudged you. When we duel again, I want to see what person you become_.

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

Even though Yuhiro was tired from the back-to-back duels, he was surprised that his body didn't ache. He walked out of the room, although a bit slowly, just in case. Roxy was there, waiting for him.

"Glad to see you're in one piece."

"Yeah. I'm lucky to even be in one piece in the first place," Yuhiro replied as he sat down in his chair and sighed. "I didn't expect to be dueling two people today."

"But you did." Herald stated the obvious. "And what's more, you survived."

"Quick question: Are we going to address the 'elephant' in the room?" Roxy asked. When Yuhiro and Herald turned to her, she shouted, "YOU ALMOST MADE US WORK FOR A LITTLE GIRL! SERIOUSLY, YUHIRO! YOU HAVE TO BE MORE CAUTIOUS!" Her statement scared Herald, causing him to retreat into Yuhiro's Duel Disk.

Yuhiro was speechless for an entire minute and thought about what to say to Roxy's comment. While he could make a good defense, he also knew that, in a debate, she would sadly win. So he relented and said, "Yeah. I know. But based on what happened today, there was nothing I could do. Please understand." Now it was Roxy's turn to be speechless, as she didn't know what to say in response to Yuhiro's answer.

However, Yuhiro said, "We do have questions that came up today. Like how Numera obtained that security field or those Cyberse cards. Or the bounty hunter SengokuQueen." He then realized something. "Were you able to find anything on SengokuQueen?"

Roxy then realized what Yuhiro was talking about and turned to face the monitors. "Good news. While you were dueling, I was able to find her profile." She opened up a window on the monitor, showing SengokuQueen's profile. "Ah. Here she is. It says here that she's a bounty hunter from Kyoto. Her deck is a 'Six Samurai' deck that focuses on utilizing 'Bushido' counters to provide benefits for the player. In addition to Link Summoning, she can also use Synchro and Xyz Summoning."

"She also mentioned that SOL's higher-ups personally hired her to defeat Playmaker and I," Yuhiro said. "If SOL's higher-ups were willing to contact a bounty hunter for the job, that means..."

"More could come next, and it would seriously interfere with our work." Roxy finished for him. She then found something on SengokuQueen's profile. "Hey Yuhiro. Check out what this says."

Yuhiro went over and read what Roxy was looking at. "Note. Bounty hunter has a strong hatred of anyone with dishonor. Her honor as a duelist makes her a loose cannon. Tread carefully." He frowned as he remembered what SengokuQueen told him. _My honor prevents me from failing a mission. Which is why the next time we duel, I will win your Ignis and bring it back to SOL. And once I defeat you, then Playmaker is next_.

"Um, Yuhiro?" Yuhiro snapped out of his trance and turned to Roxy, who was talking to him. "You all right?"

He smiled. "Yeah. Just glad to survive the day, that's all."

"Is it safe to come on out, now?" Upon hearing Herald's voice, both Yuhiro and Roxy realized that he's been in the Duel Disk this entire time!

"Oi, Herald! You can come on out now! I'm not going to bite." Roxy told him, causing Herald to come out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk.

"Whew! After today, I did not want to suffer your wrath at all," Herald stated. He then noticed Roxy looking at her watch.

Apparently, Yuhiro also noticed that something was amiss, so he asked her, "What is it?"

"I'm going to visit Miyu in a few minutes," Roxy replied. "Do you want to come?"

_At the Den City Hospital..._

"So this is Miyu," Herald said as he looked at the teenage girl on her bed sleeping. She was the same as last time. "Is she really one of the victims of the Lost Incident?"

"Afraid so," Roxy said. She and Yuhiro were sitting down on the chairs beside Miyu's bed, while Herald was on a nearby table. "Not only did she go through the Lost Incident, but she also lost her parents."

"I'm so sorry," was all Herald could say. "You know, there was this Ignis in the Cyberse World known as the Water Ignis. If any of us were injured, she could heal it in a moment."

"Have you tried contacting her?" Roxy asked him.

Herald looked downcast as he answered her. "No. Ever since the Dark Ignis, Ai, hid the Cyberse World, I haven't been able to reach out to anyone. I'm sorry."

"Then I guess it's up to modern medicine to save her," Roxy concluded. She turned to Miyu and squeezed her hand. "Miyu, sweetie, it's your auntie. I came to visit you. Yuhiro and I are doing everything we can to find out who did this to you and bring them to..." But that was all Roxy could say, as she started crying, causing Yuhiro to put a hand on her shoulder for comfort.

Roxy then stood up and wiped the tears off her face. "I need a moment to compose myself," was all she said as she stepped out of the hospital room, leaving Yuhiro alone with Miyu.

Yuhiro took Miyu's hand in his and gave it a small squeeze. "Hi, Miyu. A lot has happened. And when I say a lot has happened, I mean _a lot_." He then told her about his duel with Blue Angel, and how he barely survived against the Knights of Hanoi in order to get the removal program for her.

"Then I meet this one guy. He claims to know about the Incident. And he might know about my past as well. On top of that, just today, there was this other Cyberse user today in LINK VRAINS. I honestly don't know how I'm going to make sense of all this information, nor do I know how I'll make it to the end. But what I do know is this: If there's one thing that's keeping me going, it's _you_."

Yuhiro was about to get up when he noticed pressure being felt in his hand. He turned back to Miyu and was surprised at what he was seeing.

Somehow, Miyu was squeezing his hand in response to his. Or was he imagining it? Regardless, he let go of her hand and placed her arm across her chest before heading over to his Duel Disk and picking it up.

"You all right, Yuhiro?" Herald asked him as Yuhiro stepped out of the hospital room. "You look like you've zoned out."

"I'm fine, Herald," Yuhiro insisted, as they headed to where Roxy was. "Just have a lot on my mind that's all."

As Yuhiro headed to where Roxy was, what happened earlier kept going through his head. _Miyu was somehow able to interact with me for a brief moment, even though she was in a coma,_ he thought._ It could be a sign that she's getting better_. Hopefully, that moment would lead to her getting better in the future.

_At an apartment in Den City..._

Rachel yawned as the blue sphere faded away. "Today's events were interesting, wouldn't you agree, Greg?" she said, as she looked at him, who was sitting at his laptop.

"I can agree, Rachel," Greg said, smiling as he turned to look at her. "How did it go?"

"Unfortunately, I lost." Rachel admitted, as she got up from the couch. "But Raguel ended up dueling a bounty hunter shortly afterwards. And won."

"A bounty hunter, eh?" Greg put a hand on his chin. "Do you know the bounty hunter's name?"

"I think it's SengokuQueen." Rachel responded. Greg turned around and opened up the bounty hunter forum on his computer. He then searched for articles on the forum about SengokuQueen.

As he did so, Rachel walked to the desk in order to be beside him. "This bounty hunter is a professional, from what people are saying about her." He turned to Rachel. "Rachel, we have to be more careful. If we aren't..."

"Then everything we did will be all for naught." Rachel finished for him. "I know that-."

Suddenly, Rachel's Duel Disk started beeping. When Rachel looked at it, there was an unknown number being displayed on it. She immediately pressed the button. "Hello?"

"Hello," the other person on the end said. They used a voice scrambler so Rachel and Greg couldn't identify them. "Is this Numera?"

"It is," Rachel confirmed. "And I'm assuming you're the client that Raguel talked about?"

"That is correct," the other person confirmed. "And I have an assignment for you. One that, if completed to the letter, will be rewarded." Greg received a message on his computer. Opening it, he and Rachel were surprised.

"That's a nice offer you got," Rachel said, choosing her words carefully. "But I don't do any assignments unless I get all the information."

"That I understand," the other person told her. "The assignment is simple. I need you to keep an eye on Raguel. Make sure that he is doing okay. And should he need help, you'll be there to help him." Rachel and Greg glanced at each other before looking back at the Duel Disk.

"Anything else?"

"Unless I provide further instructions, then right now, no." the voice said in response. "Do you accept the assignment, as well as your role in the 'Crisis' to come?"

Rachel's face went pale at the word 'Crisis'. Raguel mentioned that word a few moments before her duel against him. From what he was saying, this upcoming 'Crisis' must be that important for Raguel's client to seek her help. She then looked at her ace monster, Geomathmech Final Sigma. And remembered why she was doing this in the first place. In order to bring justice and healing to so many others.

Rachel looked at Greg and nodded at him, who nodded back. She then turned to her Duel Disk and said, "I accept the assignment. But before I get started, I need to know who I'm working for. Oh, and if you can tell Raguel I'm on board, that would be great too."

"I will tell Raguel that you accepted your calling," the voice replied. "And you can call me Watchman. I look forward to working with you, Ms. Numera."

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Chiron (LV: 6/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 2100/DEF: 1600)_

_When you draw this card: You can reveal it to your opponent, and if you do, Special Summon this card to your field, then Special Summon 1 'Cyreath' monster from your GY. If you activate this effect, you can only attack with 'Cyreath' Link Monsters for the rest of the turn. You can only use this effect of 'Cyreath Chiron' once per duel. _

_Boots of Hermes (Equip Spell Card)_

_While this card is equipped to a 'Cyreath' monster, the equipped monster can attack your opponent directly, but any battle damage inflicted is halved. If this card is sent to the GY: You can discard 1 'Cyreath' card; add it to your hand._

_Cyreath Succession (Normal Trap Card)_

_When a 'Cyreath' monster you control leaves the field: Special Summon 1 'Cyreath' monster, except a Link Monster, from your GY, but negate its effects._

_Cyreath Nemean Lion (LR: 3/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 2500/↙️__⬆️↘️)_

_2 or more 'Cyreath' monsters. When a monster is summoned to a zone this card points to: Target 1 card you opponent controls; shuffle it into their deck, and if you do, this card gain 300 ATK until the End Phase. If a monster this card points to is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can have this card become unaffected by card effects until the End Phase._

**QOTC **

_What did you think of SengokuQueen's first duel? Are you excited for her role in the story?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 12: The Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS. Since Revolver's attack on LINK VRAINS, peace has been restored in the network. However, when the Knights of Hanoi return to LINK VRAINS and start turning people into 'Anothers', Yuhiro logs into LINK VRAINS to stop them. To his surprise, though, he isn't the only one..._

**Responses to Reviews and Author Notes **

Thank you to HunterHQ, Guest, Unnamed, Anonymous, Unknown, and Noobmaster for reviewing Chapter 10 of Obscured Truth.

Okay, I didn't expect this chapter to be as short as it is! This might be because of the length of the duel. Regardless, we'll talk about what happened in this chapter before going to reviews.

The main thing that happened in this chapter was the duel between Raguel and SengokuQueen. I just want to give credit to Savagemaster1999 for his OC idea, which was one of the ideas that won the contest back in Chapter 4. The Six Samurai deck was very fun to write, and I do plan on SengokuQueen to participate in more duels during the story. If this duel was short, then I apologize.

Oh, and fun fact: The design for Cyreath Chiron was from Archer from Black from Fate/Apocrypha, while the design for Cyreath Nemean Lion was from Sacred Guardian Beast, Nemean Lion, from Cardfight Vanguard.

Following the duel, three things happened. The first was SengokuQueen reporting back to Kitamura, who wasn't too happy with her losing the duel. She was also bothered with what Raguel told her during the duel. As to how this will affect her character, you'll have to keep on reading.

The second was Yuhiro and Roxy visiting Miyu in the hospital. Right before Yuhiro left the hospital room, though, Miyu was able to squeeze his hand. What this means for the story, I want to hear your thoughts.

Finally, there was Numera being recruited by Watchman for help in the upcoming 'Crisis'. Whether they'll meet or not, you'll have to see.

And with that out of the way, let's go to the reviews.

HunterHQ: As a result of eating the program, Progleo gained the attributes and characteristics of a dog, meaning that he'll have to pee. I made some edits to Chapter 10 to fix the error you mentioned, so thank you very much. Also, there's no connection between numbers and angels. I just wanted Roxy to counter a question with a question so Yuhiro could focus back to the subject. As for the Profiles, I might make an announcement on them soon.

Guest: If you look back at the Speed Duels from previous chapters, I edited them. Also, thanks for pointing out the error regarding Galactic Squid.

Unnamed: I'm glad that you're looking forward to the eventual confrontation between Watchman and the Hanoi. I assure you, I have a plan for Windy's partner to actually be in the story (I got a design, name, and personality planned out and everything, as well as his deck). As for your comment regarding angel numbers, I did not know about it at the time. Rather, the title of Chapter 10 was meant to refer to Raguel solving a mystery.

Anonymous: Ai will talk and catch up with Herald at some point this season, don't worry. Their relationship will also be explored.

Unknown: If you want the answer to your question, then I encourage you to keep on reading.

Noobmaster: The World Chalice deck has a few Cyberse monsters. Also, there will be a chapter where Yuhiro will use his World Chalice deck. I assure you, I have made plans for backstories regarding Windy's partner and the 8th Lost Incident Child.

Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews, as well as any questions, comments, or opinions you may have. Also, if you have the chance, let other people know of this story as well. To improve as a writer, I encourage constructive criticism. So don't be afraid of anything you want to say in your review. See you next time, as the Another Arc officially begins!


	12. Chapter 12: The Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS

**Chapter 12: The Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS**

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel looked out over LINK VRAINS. Thanks to the efforts of SOL, the network was able to recover from Revolver's attack. There were many people dueling, some testing their skills against others in the hopes of becoming Charisma Duelists one day.

It had been at least four hours since he and Roxy visited Miyu at the Den City Hospital. Since the trip, he couldn't sleep, so he logged into LINK VRAINS to not only have some time for himself, but to make sure there wasn't anyone else that could threaten the network as well. He turned his head to the right and was surprised at who else was here.

"Yo. Playmaker." Raguel called out to him. When Playmaker turned his head to see who was speaking to him, he was surprised to see that Raguel was here as well.

"Raguel?" Playmaker asked as Raguel walked up to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, I guess." Raguel replied, turning to face LINK VRAINS. "Couldn't sleep either?"

Playmaker sighed. "I guess not." Before he could continue, Ai emerged from Playmaker's Duel Disk. "It's been a while, Raguel! And good to see you too, Herald!"

As if on cue, Herald emerged from Raguel's Duel Disk. "Good to see you as well, Ai. We have a lot to catch up on, don't you agree?"

"Definitely!" Ai squealed, excited to be talking to another Ignis after so long. "What I want to know is: How did you survive?"

"You remember the guy you didn't listen to prior to the Hanoi's attack?" Herald asked him.

"Yeah?"

"He saved a bunch of Cyberse creatures, me, and another Ignis." Herald told Ai. He then crossed his arms. "If you all just listened to him-."

"Hey! We never expected someone to attack the Cyberse World! We had peaceful intentions!" Ai argued with Herald.

"Be quiet." Both Playmaker and Raguel silenced their Ignis's.

Before anyone could say anything else, the area suddenly grew dark.

"What the-?" Raguel said, turning his head and looking at the sky. "Is that-?"

"An eclipse." Playmaker answered him, narrowing his eyes at the sky.

"You know, back in ancient times, solar eclipses were super evil omens." Ai said. "They foreshadowed total destruction and the end of civilizations. So you got that going for you."

"They're just fables, Ai." Playmaker told him. "But perhaps, there is something to this. Someone may be sending the world a message."

"Like what? Wear sunscreen?" Ai sarcastically asked Playmaker.

"No, Ai. Not at all." Herald scolded him. "This solar eclipse could be a sign of what's to come."

"But what?" Raguel said.

"I believe that we'll find out soon enough." Playmaker deduced.

"Great. I hate waiting for surprises. Rip off the bandage and bring on the gloom and doom." Ai said.

Herald sighed as he facepalmed his head. "I wish you didn't say that, Ai."

Raguel couldn't help but agree with Herald. _If the Hanoi are behind this_, Raguel thought as he narrowed his eyes at the eclipse, _then I have a feeling I'll encounter them again._ He turned to Playmaker. _No. The both of us will encounter the Hanoi again. That's for sure_.

_The next morning, at Café Matsuo..._

Yuhiro had a lot on his mind as he ate the chocolate-chip pancakes Roxy made for him. Sure, they were delicious, but with so much stuff going on in Yuhiro's mind, he didn't feel like eating at the moment.

"Mission control to Yuhiro. You spacing out again?" Yuhiro lifted his head at Roxy saying his name. "You know, for a second there, I thought you were going to fall asleep."

"Sorry, Roxy." Yuhiro said, as he stretched his arms. "I guess I didn't get much sleep last night."

Roxy crossed her arms in response. "Considering you were in LINK VRAINS, that would make sense. Why were you even there in the first place?" She soon took a bite of her pancake.

"It's because Yuhiro needed some time to himself." Herald deduced. "Also, we saw something pretty interesting in-."

CRUNCH.

"As I was saying, we saw something pretty interesting in-."

CRUNCH. CRUNCH.

Herald, who was now annoyed, turned behind him to face Progleo. The cub was on the floor, eating chocolate-chip pancakes. "Would you mind?" Herald emphasized to the cub. "I was talking to Yuhiro and Roxy about what we saw yesterday in LINK VRAINS!"

Progleo snorted in response to what Herald said. "What? I'm hungry." And he continued munching down the chocolate-chip pancakes.

"Yuhiro, you usually enjoy my chocolate-chip pancakes." Roxy stated, with a worried look on her face. "Yet there's something on your mind, isn't there?"

Yuhiro sighed, knowing that there was no point in making a rebuttal against Roxy. He started cutting another piece of his pancake. "Yeah. I guess there is." Yuhiro took a deep breath before saying, "Something happened with Miyu last night."

At the mention of Miyu, Roxy narrowed her eyes, showing that she was paying attention. "Did something happen to her, last night?"

"Nothing bad." Yuhiro responded. "But something that will surprise you." He then told Roxy of what happened when he talked with Miyu, as well as just before he left.

"As I was getting up to leave, I felt Miyu squeeze my hand. Like this." Yuhiro squeezed his hands together, trying to recreate what happened. "I'm no doctor, Roxy, but she was somehow able to interact with a person after many years. It could be a sign that she's getting better."

In response to this information, Roxy dropped her fork on the plate, while Yuhiro took a bite of his pancake. Her jaw dropped as well.

"She interacted with you..." was all she could say. "Are you sure?"

After Yuhiro took a bite of his pancake, he nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure."

Roxy, who still forgot about her fork, continued to stare at him. "How? Was there anything else? Did she speak?"

"Unfortunately no." Yuhiro admitted, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Roxy. I wish that-."

"Don't apologize." Yuhiro's head perked up in response to Roxy's comment. "What happened last night, it's a sign. A sign that, somehow, we're getting through to her. And if we keep up the good work, she could wake up eventually." As Roxy picked up her fork and started cutting her pancakes, Yuhiro could tell that there was a small smile on her face.

"You know, I couldn't help but think about what you said, Yuhiro." Herald said, causing both humans to turn to him. "If it helps, I can do some research on comas. Who knows, I might find something useful."

The next thing Herald knew, Roxy patted his head, causing him to roll his eyes. "You do know I'm _not_ the pet in this household, right?"

"Yeah. I know." Roxy said, giving him a small smile. "But the fact that you're willing to do this for us. It means a lot, just saying."

Before Herald could say anything else, Yuhiro's watch started beeping. "I guess that's the signal for school then, Yuhiro?" Herald asked, turning to him.

"And another ordinary school day begins." Yuhiro commented, as he got up from his seat and grabbed the dog collar and leash from the shelve. "Come on, Progleo. It's time." Progleo moaned as he walked over to Yuhiro, letting him put the collar on. As a result, the cub turned into a husky.

"I'll see you this afternoon, Roxy." Yuhiro said, as he grabbed his Duel Disk and headed out downstairs to the front door.

"Okay!" Roxy called out. As she got up and picked up the dirty dishes for cleaning, she muttered to herself, "I've gone eight years without a response from Miyu. And I miss out on it by a few minutes." She then smirked to herself. _Yuhiro has no idea of an impact he has on her, does he,_ she thought. Oh, boy. Roxy was going to enjoy teasing him later.

_On the way to Den Academy..._

"I want your opinion on something. Do you think that solar eclipse we saw in LINK VRAINS meant anything?" Herald asked Yuhiro as he moved his eye to face him.

"Possibly." Yuhiro replied. "And there's three reasons why I believe so. One: Solar eclipses never happen in LINK VRAINS, unless it was part of an event that SOL was advertising. Two: If the Hanoi was behind the solar eclipse, the monitor in the backroom would have detected it. You would have as well, Herald. And three: As Playmaker's Ignis Ai said, solar eclipses foretold evil omens. I'm not a believer in superstitions, but after everything I've been through, anything can happen."

Before Yuhiro could say anything else, he was pulled by Progleo, who once again had to pee behind a nearby tree. "Must you do your business at _that_ specific tree?"

Progleo, who came behind the tree, walked over to Yuhiro. "I can't help it. It's as though I made it into my happy place. And whenever I go there, I feel much better. How come?" He scratched the back of his ears.

"Well, Progleo." Herald explained. "Now that you're a dog, you tend to mark your territory whenever you go to pee. As a result, it becomes your 'happy place'."

"Speaking of which," Yuhiro said, as he bent down to the cub, "when we get back, I'm potty training you so that you don't pee at that tree anymore. Understand?"

Progleo nodded, and with that, Yuhiro resumed his walk. "With that subject out of the way, I need to ask you something, Herald."

"What is it?" Herald asked.

"Can you send a message to Playmaker's Ignis?" Yuhiro asked him.

Herald's eye widened in surprise to Yuhiro's question. "I can do that, but are you sure? I mean, shouldn't we be more covert in this?"

"While it's a good idea to be covert, I'm sure." Yuhiro replied. "In the databank, I told Playmaker that I would fight the Hanoi with everything I got. For now, I think a temporary alliance would be a good idea, wouldn't you agree?"

"True." Herald agreed with him. He then sighed. "All right. I can send a message to the Dark Ignis in our language. One that humans won't be able to understand."

"Okay, now that's covert." Yuhiro stated. He then noticed the Den Academy building. "Can you make it a quick message? I'm about to enter the school."

"Hang on. And done! Message sent!" Herald declared. "Now all we do is wait."

"Guess so." Yuhiro knelt down to Progleo before looking left and right to make sure no one was watching him. "Okay, Progleo. Back to the Duel Disk." Progleo's ears went down as he whimpered. "It's only for a few hours. Please?" Progleo complied by turning into particles and entering Yuhiro's Duel Disk. With that out of the way, Yuhiro headed into the building.

What Yuhiro didn't know was that Yusaku was behind him, paying close attention to what was going on. Just then, his Duel Disk beeped.

"Hey!" Yusaku said to Ai. "You have to keep it down!"

"Sorry!" Ai said. "But I got a message from the White Ignis!"

Yusaku's eyes widened in surprise as he checked his Duel Disk. Sure enough, there was a message, but he couldn't read it. "Why can't I read it?"

"Because the message was written in the language of the Ignis." Ai answered, coming out of Yusaku's Duel Disk. "It says: _Please meet me after school at 3:20 pm near the school entrance_. Should we RSVP?"

"We should." Yusaku instantly replied. "If Furutani wants to meet in the real world and not in LINK VRAINS, it would be rude not to accept."

_At the end of the school day..._

Yuhiro was near the school entrance, waiting for Yusaku to show up. He checked his watch, which read 3:20 pm. When he turned his head to the entrance, he saw several students still exiting from the entrance. Among them was Yusaku, only he was with Naoki, talking about something.

"And the scary thing is," Naoki explained, "you don't even know if your Duel Disk is cursed until is too late." His face turned spooky as he continued explaining. "And it strikes at the stroke of midnight. It's gangly ghoulish arms creep out of the Duel Disk and snatch the owners soul. The story goes that the victim is dragged into LINK VRAINS, never to be seen again. All that's left is an empty shell, still alive but lifeless."

"I see." Yusaku responded to Naoki. "I need to speak with someone now, actually. Or else I'll be late."

"Oh. Didn't realize I was keeping you from something, Fujiki." Naoki said. Before he left, he added, "And remember-."

"Keep an eye on your Duel Disk." Yusaku finished for Naoki, a bored expression clearly shown on his face. Satisfied with Yusaku's answer, Naoki continued walking away from the building.

With Naoki off his back, Yusaku headed to where Yuhiro was. "I take it you wanted to speak to me?"

Yuhiro stood up and smiled. "That's correct, Fujiki." His smile turned into a frown. "But let's be honest here. I asked to meet with you because of three things we have in common. One," Yuhiro held up one finger, "we both have a common enemy: The Knights of Hanoi. It's only logical to team up as long as they're active. Two," Yuhiro held up another finger, "we both already figured out each other's identities. In doing so, I know who you are both in LINK VRAINS and in real life, and vice versa. Three," Yuhiro held up a third finger, "if there's one important thing we have in common, it's that the both of us have an Ignis. Allow me to introduce you to my buddy, Herald."

As if on cue, Herald emerged on Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "Ah, finally. It's good to talk to you once again, Ai. And you must be Playmaker. A pleasure to meet you as well."

"The same goes for you." Yusaku said. He then looked at Yuhiro. "I never thought that someone else from the Lost Incident would be attending the same school as me."

"Me neither." Yuhiro replied. He then looked left and right to make sure no one was watching them. "Follow me." Yuhiro then started walking on the sidewalk, with Yusaku following him.

"Wait. Where are we going?" Ai asked him, now curious.

"It's a covert tactic." Herald told him. "Yuhiro is trying to make it look like two people are walking and talking to each other. As though they're walking to their homes together."

"Ohhhhhh. That's make sense." Ai said as he put a hand to his chin.

"Have you heard of what's been going around in the school?" Yusaku asked Yuhiro.

"Partly." Yuhiro admitted. "Although I heard a bit more during your conversation with Shima. Care to clarify?"

"Shima believes that people are turned into Anothers."

"Anothers?"

"According to Shima, people become Anothers once their souls are dragged into LINK VRAINS." Yusaku clarified. "While Shima's usually a liar or an idiot, with the sudden drop of people in school, I think for once he's telling the truth."

"You think the Hanoi are behind this, aren't you?" Yuhiro asked Yusaku, who nodded in response.

"There are three reasons why the Hanoi are behind these Another attacks." Yusaku said, turning to Yuhiro. "One: All the victims use card-insert Duel Disks. And since Playmaker and Raguel use card-insert Duel Disks, they're searching for everyone with said Duel Disk in order to lure them out. Two: The duelists who use card-insert Duel Disks are elite level, meaning that they're exceptional in dueling. Three: They're all hackers."

"Hackers? Interesting." Yuhiro muttered, thinking about Yusaku's three reasons as to why the Hanoi were behind the Another attacks. _With those reasons,_ Yuhiro thought, _they're hoping to draw us out and acquire our Ignis's_. He then gained an idea. "Do you plan on logging into LINK VRAINS at all today?"

Yusaku thought about it for a minute before responding. "Maybe. But only once I'm certain of the information that's going around. Why do you ask?"

"Well, if the Hanoi are doing this to draw us out," Yuhiro explained, "perhaps it would be a good idea if the both of us are in LINK VRAINS. That way, with the both of us out in the open, we can draw out those in charge of the Hanoi. Like Infearno."

"Or Revolver." Yusaku muttered as he thought about both Infearno and Revolver. If this plan worked and they were both drawn out into the open, it would give them a chance to settle things once and for all. "All right. Let's give it a shot. I'll have Ai contact Herald if we uncover anything."

"Okay." Yuhiro said. He then offered a hand to Yusaku. "Gotta say, while it's only temporary, I look forward to working with you, Fujiki."

Yusaku, after looking at Yuhiro's hand for a brief moment, shook it. "Same here, Furutani."

_A few minutes later, at Café Matsuo..._

Yuhiro walked into Café Matsuo and immediately headed straight into the back. With the steward bot at the counter, it meant that Roxy was at the backroom.

"Hey Yuhiro." Roxy said, as Yuhiro walked in and sat in his respective chair. "I've been doing some research, and I found some things about the Another victims."

"There's no need, Roxy." Yuhiro said, turning to face her. "I've already talked to Playmaker, or Fujiki as I know him in real life, today at school. He provided me with the details on the Another victims, as well as who's behind them."

For the second time today, Roxy's jaw dropped. "Hang on. So you actually talked to Fujiki at school today? On the way back home?" When Yuhiro nodded, Roxy was so happy that she grabbed him, put him in a headlock, and nuggied him. "I'm so proud of you, Yuhiro! You're actually talking to someone at school, even though it's someone you'll have to eventually duel. Who knows? After this whole mess is over, you'll start making friends."

"I'm glad you're happy, Roxy," Yuhiro said, "but please let me go." After Roxy let him go and he sat back on his chair, he continued talking. "Fujiki told me that the Another victims had three things in common. One: They all use card-insert Duel Disks. Two: They're all elite duelists. Three: They're all hackers."

"It makes sense when you think about it," Herald said, appearing out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "Since Playmaker and Raguel fulfil all the criteria, it would only make sense for the Hanoi to target only a sample of duelists that are in LINK VRAINS, which are-."

"Duelists that use card-insert Duel Disks." Roxy finished for Herald. "The Hanoi aren't pulling any stops this time around." Suddenly, one of their monitors started flashing red. "Aw hell no, not again."

"What is it?" Yuhiro asked. When Roxy opened up a new window, his eyes widened. "It's the Hanoi!"

"Unfortunately." Roxy confirmed as she started typing. "They've been appearing everywhere in LINK VRAINS since this morning. Any duelists they ran into have been turned into Anothers." Her face then arranged into one of disgust. "We have to stop them before they cause any more damage!"

"I know." Yuhiro got up and headed for the closed-off space. "The Knights of Hanoi want to play dirty, huh? I'll make sure they don't harm the network again!" With determination, he put his deck in his Duel Disk and said, "Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel landed on the ground and saw several people running from the damage the Knights of Hanoi was unleashing onto the network. Great. Not only were the Hanoi turning people into Anothers, but they were also causing damage to the network as well.

"Cracking Dragon, attack! Traffic blast!"

BOOM!

Raguel turned his head at the sound of the explosion, seeing a Knight of Hanoi defeat a duelist and turn them into an Another. Soon, other explosions went off, meaning that the Knights were nearby.

_I can't let them do any more damage to the network_, Raguel thought as he ran forward to the danger and looked around for anyone who could be in trouble. He soon found two young duelists being roped into a duel by three Knights of Hanoi. One of them had a red pauldron on his right shoulder, which indicated that he was the leader of the pack. As a result, Raguel hid in a nearby alleyway, trying to figure out what to do. He could force their leader into a duel, but the rest would try and aid him in the process. _Looks like I got to eliminate him_, Raguel thought, as he prepped his Cracker gauntlet.

"This chase was fun, but you're finished!" the Knight of Hanoi with the red pauldron on his right shoulder said. Before Raguel could go forward with his plan, a green cloud of smoke appeared out of nowhere and landed on the ground in front of the young duelists, as if it was defending them.

When the smoke settled, it revealed a man wearing a green-velvet jumpsuit with golden armor on his body, as well as high heeled golden boots and golden gauntlets. He also wore a magenta cape on his back, as well as a green magician's cap covering the top side of his face, except his eyes.

"Go!" the man said to the two young duelists, urging them to leave. As they started running from the confrontation, the man turned to the Knights and said, "You don't want any part of this." He then stepped forward and fired green, mystical energy from his hands at the Knights, hitting two of them and forcefully logging them out. As a result, only the Knight of Hanoi with the red pauldron was left standing.

"Just... what are you?" the Knight of Hanoi with the red pauldron demanded, startled at seeing his comrades get destroyed like that.

"I am Stregone, the #3 Charisma Duelist in LINK VRAINS!" the man answered. "And I won't let people like you harm the innocent. Not on my watch!"

Raguel smiled upon seeing Stregone. _This Knight of Hanoi is so in for it now_, he thought.

"Is that so?" the Knight growled as he activated his Duel Disk. "Fine. I'll take you on. But know this: Unlike those Knights you blasted earlier, we have proved our loyalty to our leader, and as a result, he has given us command over our own squads. So technically, you can call me a Sergeant of Hanoi!"

"A sergeant? Like a pet sergeant?" Stregone deduced as he activated his Duel Disk, which revealed a green blade with a blue outline.

"That's- wait, how dare you!" the Sergeant exclaimed as he gritted his teeth. "With this deck only the Sergeants of Hanoi can wield, I'll make you eat those words!"

"Bring it on!" Stregone countered.

"Duel!" both duelists declared.

**Stregone: 4000 LP**

**Sergeant of Hanoi: 4000 LP**

"I'll take the first turn." the Sergeant said, waving his hand in front of him to see his cards. _Excellent_, he thought. _This Charisma Duelist won't stop me with these cards_. "I activate the Field Spell card, Kozmotown! Then I summon Kozmo Soartroopers from my hand!" A bamboo in black trooper armor carrying a blaster appeared on the Sergeant's field. It's wings were also metallic.

**Kozmo Soartroopers ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"Soartroopers effect! I can banish this card to Special Summon one Level 4 or higher 'Kozmo' monster from my hand! I banish Soartroopers to Special Summon Kozmo Dark Destroyer from my hand!" Soartroopers vanished into particles, which created a portal above the Sergeant's head. Soon, a black spaceship with a chrome armoured paint job, as well as acute shaped wings, emerged from the portal and hovered above the Sergeant.

**Kozmo Dark Destroyer ATK: 3000 DEF: 1800 LVL: 8**

"Next, I equip my new Machine monster with the Union Monster, Heavy Mech Support Platform!" the Sergeant declared. "Now my monster gains 500 attack and defense points. Also, if it were to be destroyed by battle or card effect, I can simply destroy my equip card instead!" As the Sergeant said this, a ship with red thin wings that was smaller than Dark Destroyer appeared on the field and flew up to the middle of the bigger ship. Heavy Mech Support Platform then docked onto Dark Destroyer and attached itself using its red underbelly cord.

**Kozmo Dark Destroyer ATK: 3000 + 500 = 3500 DEF: 1800 + 500 = 2300**

"I'll end my turn by Setting a face-down card," the Sergeant concluded. "Now lets see what you can do!"

_In another area of LINK VRAINS..._

Dancho and Revolver looked out over the chaos as the Knights and Sergeants forced people into duels.

"These boorish individuals know nothing of our core beliefs." Revolver said. "They're tarnishing the name of the Knights of Hanoi, and these behaviors of theirs are unacceptable."

"Scum they most certainly are." Dancho added. "The Knights of Hanoi were formed with the purpose of saving the world, by any means necessary. These punks," Dancho seethed that last word out, "know nothing about what we're _really_ after."

"Most true." Revolver and Dancho turned and saw two people, a male and a female, materialize in front of them. The man had dark and light blue hair with a white lab coat with black lines, as well as a silver-yellow eyepiece over his left eye. The woman had red and orange hair with a sleeveless white lab coat with pink eyes, as well as a silver-yellow eyepiece over her left eye. Their names were Faust and Baira, and they were two of Revolver's lieutenants. "So it is up to us to complete our mission."

"I agree, Faust." Revolver said as he and Dancho walked over to them.

"I swear to you that we will find Playmaker, as well as his Ignis." Faust promised Revolver.

"Not just find them, but we shall erase them from existence, Revolver." Baira added.

"Dr. Genome is already making his move as we speak." Faust said.

"And we provided him with a _special_ weapon for the task." Baira said.

"It seems that everything is going according to plan then," Dancho said, looking at Faust and Baira. "The two of you should be proud of yourselves." His expression then changed into a frown as he turned to Revolver. "If Raguel were to show up though and try to intervene, though..."

"Then it's only fair that we eliminate him before he becomes more dangerous." Revolver concluded as he turned his head to look at the carnage around LINK VRAINS. "We can't risk having him and Playmaker forming an alliance against us. Their combined strength would most certainly be an obstacle to overcome."

"Both Dancho and Infearno came close to defeating Raguel in their respective duels," Faust said, placing a hand on Revolver's shoulder. "I assure you, Revolver. Raguel will be dealt with."

"If I do cross paths with Raguel again, I won't let him interfere with our goal!" Dancho also promised as well.

Revolver took a deep breath before responding. "I know. Your loyalty matters greatly. Thank you." He then turned to face Faust and Baira. "Where's Infearno? Shouldn't he be here?"

"He's back in headquarters, checking the status of the Anothers. As well as keeping an eye on the monitors." Baira answered him. "Or at least that's what he told me before he left."

_In the Hanoi Stronghold..._

Infearno was watching the monitor, seeing the carnage the Knights of Hanoi were bringing onto LINK VRAINS. While Revolver and the others disapproved of recruiting in thugs for the Hanoi's army, he was the only one who approved of the idea. Or at least, he thought he was.

"Hello, Infearno."

Infearno turned around and saw Specter materialize in front of him. In Specter's right hand was a coffee cup.

"What are you doing here, Specter?" Infearno asked as Specter walked to him. When he looked at what Specter was holding, he raised an eyebrow. "And why are you carrying a coffee cup?"

"It's because I asked our Secretary for one." Specter answered as he took a sip from it. "And I must say, he most certainly makes good coffee. Especially when you can taste it even in the network."

"You didn't answer my question." Infearno said, crossing his arms. "What are you doing here?"

Specter sighed. "If you must know, I recently completed a mission for Master Revolver."

"Which was?"

"A routine sweep of LINK VRAINS." Specter answered as he took another sip from his coffee. "Master Revolver wanted me to see if a certain individual would show up due to our attack."

"Are you talking about Playmaker? Or Raguel?" Infearno asked, narrowing his eyes. Ever since his duel against Raguel, Infearno was filled with anger. Anger at himself for not finishing off Raguel when he had the chance. And anger for the humiliating defeat he suffered at Raguel's hands.

However, if Infearno knew one thing about anger, it was this: He could let it destroy him, or he could mold it into a weapon. With patience and the right opportunity, Infearno will defeat Raguel. Only this time, he won't make the same mistake twice.

"It's none of your concern." Specter replied, taking a third sip from his coffee. "I'm curious about something though. What are _you_ doing here?"

Infearno motioned to the monitor behind him. "I was simply observing the chaos the new recruits were unleashing onto LINK VRAINS."

"I see." Specter said as he looked at the monitor. A notification soon popped up on the monitor. "What's that?"

"It's a notification that pops up whenever one of our Sergeants has to duel. The Sergeants are given charge over small squads of Knights, and provide us with reports." Infearno replied. He clicked on the notification, which showed a Sergeant of Hanoi dueling someone called Stregone. Based on what Infearno knew, Stregone was the #3 Charisma Duelist in all of LINK VRAINS. And if Stregone was confident to take on a Sergeant of Hanoi, then this would be interesting. "Whether this Sergeant wins or loses, it benefits us in the end."

"How so?" Specter asked.

"Because we'll know this duelist's dueling strategies." Infearno replied, putting a hand on his chin. "And whether or not he'll be an enemy to the Hanoi."

Back at the duel on the monitor, Stregone smirked. "You think summoning a massive spaceship is going to stop me? I'll break down your strategy before you can make a comeback!"

"What did you say?" the Sergeant growled, now offended at Stregone's statement.

"My turn! I draw!" Stregone declared. "I activate the Spell card, Terraforming, which lets me add a Field Spell card from my deck to my hand!" Using Terraforming, Stregone added Magical City of Endymion from his deck to his hand. "Next, I activate the Field Spell card, Magical City of Endymion!" As Stregone said this, a pink circle consisting of hieroglyphics surrounded both him and the Sergeant before disappearing.

"Now it's time to show you something spectacular!" Stregone said as he selected two cards in his hand. "With the Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and the Scale 8 Timegazer Magician, I set the Pendulum Scale!"

The Sergeant's eyes widened in shock. "Pendulum?!" he repeated.

On either side of Stregone's field, two pillars of light appeared. In the pillar of light on his right was a magician with brown hair and dark robes. There were gold-like elements on each of his upper arms, with chrome plating on the lower section of his arms. On his right arm was a disk that fired out a gold, clock-like blade. Timegazer also wore a black magician's cap with a gold-like element on it, as well as metallic plating on his left leg.

In the pillar of light on the left was a magician with long blond hair and white robes with a purple cape. On the magician's chest was black-plating, with four small orbs on either side and a big orb at the center. Like Timegazer, Stargazer also wore a magician's cap, only white. In his left hand, he carried a double-bladed staff, with a massive white circle at the center.

**Stargazer Magician Scale: 1**

**Timegazer Magician Scale: 8**

"This is... impossible!" the Sergeant said, his eyes wide. Although Pendulum monsters were popular before, the change in the Master Rules, the introduction of Link Monsters, and relocation of the Pendulum Zones hit them hard. As a result, it was very rare for someone to be using Pendulum monsters.

"Surprised? Wait until you see what I got next!" Stregone said. "I activate the Spell card, Pendulum Pot!" The card showed a smiling pot that was colored red on the left and blue on the right. "When this card is activated, I can draw cards from my deck equal to the number of cards in my Pendulum zones. Since I have two cards in my Pendulum zones, I can draw two cards!" After explaining, he drew the top two cards of his deck.

"The effect of Magical City of Endymion activates! Each time a Spell card is activated, I can place a Spell counter on this card when it resolves!" A blue orb went into the Field Spell, giving it a brief, blue glow before disappearing.

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"Swing far, pendulum! Carve the arc of victory!" Stregone chanted. "With the set Pendulum Scale, I can Special Summon monsters between Levels 2 and 7 at the same time! Emerge, Frequency Magician, Mythical Beast Jackal and Crusader of Endymion!" Soon, a portal opened between the two pillars, out of which three lights appeared. The lights hit the field and then dissipated, revealing three monsters.

The first was a small magician with a light violet cape, a chrome cap on his head and a small black mask covering his eyes. The magician also wore an amice with a chasuble as well. In each of the magician's hands were custom made repulsors.

The second was a blue, four legged creature with dark blue armor on its back. The creature had green eyes, and its head and tail was in a wispy shape. Its legs also had wispy protrusions on its sides.

The third was a dark blue-armored warrior with a Spell-counter circle in the middle of his body. His arms and legs were magically attached to massive blue armor on each side. He also wore a blue helmet with gold outlines as well.

**Frequency Magician ATK: 800 DEF: 400 LVL: 2**

**Mythical Beast Jackal ATK: 0 DEF: 1400 Scale: 4 LVL: 1**

**Crusader of Endymion ATK: 1900 DEF: 1200 LVL: 4**

"Level 2 Frequency Magician tunes Level 1 Mythical Beast Jackal and Level 4 Crusader of Endymion!" Stregone declared, as he pointed his right hand to the sky. A bolt of green lightning struck him as the world greyed out and his three monsters disintegrated into particles. Three rings, one yellow, one black and one dark blue appeared before turning blue and merging. Seven blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "2 + 1 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "7" as light surged through the rings.

"The master of magicians awakens!" Stregone chanted. "Show yourself, magician of light and magic! Synchro Summon! Come forth, Arcanite Magician!" A magician wearing white robes with purple lines emerged from the light and was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone. The magician wore a massive white cap with purple lines and pointed spikes on the sides. His orange eyes glared at the Sergeant as he twirled his staff, ready for battle.

**Arcanite Magician ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LVL: 7**

"What a joke!" the Sergeant stated. "That monster is NOTHING compared to mine!"

"Normally, you would be right." Stregone admitted. "But raw power is not always the answer! I activate Arcanite Magician's effect! When it's Synchro Summoned, I can place two Spell counters on this card! For every Spell counter on Arcanite Magician, it gains 1000 attack points!" Two blue orbs orbited around Arcanite Magician's staff as he powered up.

**Arcanite Magician SC: 0 + 2 = 2**

**Arcanite Magician ATK: 400 + 2000 = 2400**

"Even with that boost, you'll never be able to destroy my Dark Destroyer!" the Sergeant boldly declared.

"True," Stregone said, "but who said I was finished? I activate Arcanite Magician's other effect! By removing a Spell counter from anywhere on my field, I can target 1 card you control and destroy it! I remove a Spell counter from Magical City of Endymion to destroy your face-down card!" The Sergeant grit his teeth as a blue orb from Magical City of Endymion went into Arcanite Magician's staff, powering it up before being used by Arcanite Magician to fire a blast of magical energy at the face-down card, turning it into particles.

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 1 – 1 = 0**

Stregone checked the field using his Duel Disk and clicked on Kozmo Dark Destroyer. As he read the effect, he scowled. _I can't target his monster with Arcanite Magician_, he thought. _Looks like I'll have to go to Plan B_.

"I activate the Spell card, Cup of Ace! I flip a coin, and depending on the result, one of us gets to draw two cards!" A golden chalice soon appeared on the field, along with a golden coin.

"You're relying on luck to win?" the Sergeant asked.

"It's not just luck." Stregone replied, with a smile on his face. "Rather, I simply added an element that will make this duel even more exciting!" Thrusting out his hand, he said, "I flip the coin!" The golden coin flipped in the air, and it landed on heads. Upon seeing the result, Stregone smiled. "Since the coin landed on heads, I get to draw two cards from the top of my deck!" He drew the top two cards of his deck and looked at them. _This should help against that Sergeant_, he thought.

"Magical City of Endymion's effect activates once again!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"I end my turn by Setting two cards face-down." Stregone concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" the Sergeant declared. "I activate the effect of my Field Spell, Kozmotown! Once per turn, I can target 1 of my banished 'Kozmo' monsters and add it to my hand. But in exchange, I lose life points equal to its original level times 100. I return the banished Kozmo Soartroopers to my hand, and take 300 points of damage!" As the Sergeant returned Soartroopers to his hand, his shoulder fizzled temporarily.

**Sergeant of Hanoi: 4000 – 300 = 3700 LP**

"Once again, I summon Kozmo Soartroopers from my hand!" The bamboo in black trooper armor with metallic wings, as well as carrying a blaster appeared once again on the Sergeant's field.

**Kozmo Soartroopers ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"Soartroopers effect!" the Sergeant continued. "I can banish this card to Special Summon one Level 4 or higher 'Kozmo' monster from my hand! I banish Soartroopers to Special Summon a second Kozmo Dark Destroyer from my hand!" Soartroopers vanished into particles, which created a portal above the Sergeant's head. Soon, a second Dark Destroyer emerged from the portal and hovered above the Sergeant beside the other Dark Destroyer.

**Kozmo Dark Destroyer ATK: 3000 DEF: 1800 LVL: 8**

"What was it you said earlier? That raw power wasn't always the answer?" the Sergeant pondered. "In this case, it is!" Thrusting his right hand out, he said, "Battle! My second Kozmo Dark Destroyer attacks Arcanite Magician!" The laser cannons on each of Dark Destroyer's wings charged up before firing at Arcanite Magician. However...

"You fell for my Trap card, Mirror Force!" Stregone interrupted. "When it's activated, it destroys all monsters you control!" The laser blasts went right into Mirror Force, before being fired back at greater intensity at both Dark Destroyers. Upon impact, the laser blasts went through both spaceships, crippling and turning them both into particles. Or so Stregone thought.

"I activate the effect of Heavy Mech Support Platform!" the Sergeant said. "If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle or card effect, I can destroy this card instead!" Heavy Mech Support Platform vanished into red particles that protected the first Dark Destroyer from destruction. However, the second one wasn't so lucky, as it turned into particles.

**Kozmo Dark Destroyer ATK: 3500 – 500 = 3000 DEF: 2300 – 500 = 1800**

"Next, I activate the effect of the Dark Destroyer you destroyed! Since it was destroyed by battle or card effect and sent to the Graveyard, I can banish this card from my Graveyard and Special Summon one Level 7 or lower 'Kozmo' monster from my deck! I banish Dark Destroyer to Special Summon Kozmo Landwalker from my deck!" A large, mechanical brown four-legged walker in the shape of a spider soon emerged on the Sergeant's field.

**Kozmo Landwalker ATK: 2400 DEF: 1200 LVL: 6**

"The battle still continues! My first Kozmo Dark Destroyer attacks Arcanite Magician! And this time, it will be destroyed!" The laser cannons on each of Dark Destroyer's wings charged up before firing at Arcanite Magician, destroying the magician and turning him into particles. Stregone raised his right arm to shield his eyes as his life points dropped.

**Stregone: 4000 – 600 = 3400 LP**

"I activate the second effect of Magical City of Endymion!" Stregone interjected. "When a card with a Spell counter is destroyed, all the Spell counters it had are now placed onto this card!" As he said this, the two orbs from Arcanite Magician went into the Field Spell, giving it a brief, blue glow before disappearing.

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 1 + 2 = 3**

"Kozmo Landwalker attacks you directly!" Landwalker fired two laser blasts from the guns on either side of its head, which hit Stregone, causing him to be sent flying backwards. Luckily, he was able to land back on his feet just in time.

**Stregone: 3400 – 2400 = 1000 LP**

"That ends my turn." The Sergeant smirked at Stregone. "No matter what card you draw, you won't defeat me!"

"That's what makes the duel more interesting, though." Stregone said, as he put a hand on the top card of his deck, ready to make his move. "You ultimately won't know who wins the duel until every card has been played. And until that happens, the show must go on!"

"If you think the next card will help you win this turn, then prove it!" the Sergeant dared him.

"Oh, I will." Stregone replied. "My turn! I draw! He drew the top card of his deck and looked at it. Upon doing so, he smiled. "This card will defeat you. I first activate the Spell card, Monster Reborn! I target 1 monster in either player's Graveyard and Special Summon it back to my field! The monster I choose is Arcanite Magician!" The white-robed magician with purple lines returned to Stregone's field, only in the Main Monster Zone.

**Arcanite Magician ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LVL: 7**

"Magical City of Endymion's effect!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 3 + 1 = 4**

"I activate the effect of Pendulum Pot from my Graveyard! By banishing this card, I can draw cards from my deck equal to the number of cards in my Pendulum zones. Since I have two cards in my Pendulum zones, I can draw two cards!" After explaining, he drew the top two cards of his deck.

"Magical City of Endymion's effect!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 4 + 1 = 5**

Stregone raised his right arm into the sky and chanted, "Swing far, pendulum! Carve the arc of victory! With the set Pendulum Scale, I can Special Summon monsters between Levels 2 and 7 at the same time!" A portal opened between the two pillars, out of which one light appeared. The light hit the field and then dissipated, revealing one monster.

"Great king governing the magical power of genesis! Release the power sleeping within the magical city! Arise, Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic!" A tall magician with black robes that had golden outlines appeared on Stregone's field. Attached to his back was a massive, golden ring, and there were a total of 20 purple Spell counters visible on the magician. Endymion had long white horse-like hair and a golden mask with black horns on top. In his right hand was a golden staff, with a massive golden hook.

**Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic ATK: 2800 DEF: 1700 Scale: 8 LVL: 7**

"You Pendulum Summoned a monster with almost 3000 attack points?!" the Sergeant exclaimed.

"I activate my face-down Trap card, Assault Mode Activate!" Stregone said. "When this card is activated, I can tribute a Synchro Monster I control to Special Summon an '/Assault Mode' monster whose name includes the tributed monster's name from my deck in attack position!"

"Did you say Assault Mode?" the Sergeant repeated, his eyes widening in horror.

Raguel, who was watching the entire duel, couldn't help but snicker. _You're not just facing any duelist_, he thought, as he watched the duel. _Rather, you're facing one of the Top 3 Charisma Duelists in all of LINK VRAINS. And this one is finishing you off this turn_!

"I tribute my Arcanite Magician!" Stregone said, as a vermillion colored portal appeared above the sky. Arcanite Magician then turned into a stream of white energy and went into it, causing the portal to overflow with energy.

"Go, magician of light and magic!" Stregone chanted. "Unleash the full force of your sorcery and hold nothing back! I Special Summon Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode!" A magician wearing vermillion and purple-colored robes along with a white cape emerged from the portal and landed onto Stregone's field. When the magician stood up, he glared at the Sergeant as he twirled his staff, ready for battle.

**Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode ATK: 900 DEF: 2300 LVL: 9**

"Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode's effect activates! When it's Special Summoned, I can place two Spell counters on this card! For every Spell counter on Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode, it gains 1000 attack points!" Two blue orbs orbited around Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode's staff as he powered up.

**Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode SC: 0 + 2 = 2**

**Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode: 900 + 2000 = 2900 **

"Next, I activate Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode's second effect!" Stregone continued. "By removing two Spell counters from this card, all cards on your field will be destroyed!"

"WHAT?!" the Sergeant exclaimed, now shocked at what Stregone was going to do. He then regained his composure. "If you do this, you'll only make your monster weaker!"

"That's why I activate the third effect of Magical City of Endymion!" Stregone said. "Once per turn, if I would activate a card effect by removing Spell counters from a card I control, I can simply remove them from my Field Spell instead!" In hearing this statement, the Sergeant's eyes widened in surprise. "I remove two Spell counters from Magical City of Endymion to activate Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode's effect! Arcane Sorcery!" Two blue orbs from Magical City of Endymion went into Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode's staff, powering it up before being used by Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode to fire a massive blast of magical energy at all of the Sergeant's cards, turning them all into particles.

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 5 - 2 = 3**

"I activate the effect of Dark Destroyer from my Graveyard!" the Sergeant said. "Since it was destroyed by battle or card effect and sent to the Graveyard, I can banish this card from my Graveyard and Special Summon one Level 7 or lower 'Kozmo' monster from my deck! I banish Dark Destroyer to Special Summon a second Kozmo Landwalker from my deck!" A second Landwalker soon emerged on the Sergeant's field.

**Kozmo Landwalker ATK: 2400 DEF: 1200 LVL: 6**

"Next, I activate the effect of Landwalker! If this card is destroyed by battle or card effect, I can banish it from my Graveyard to Special Summon one Level 5 or lower 'Kozmo' monster from my deck! I banish Landwalker to Special Summon Kozmo Delta Shuttle from my deck!" A white-colored shuttle with violet lines and wings in the shape of a V, as well as an under fin, appeared on the Sergeant's field.

**Kozmo Delta Shuttle ATK: 2000 DEF: 2000 LVL: 5**

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Mythical Bestiary!" Stregone said, unfazed by the appearance of the Sergeant's new monsters. "I can send the top two cards of my deck to my Graveyard, and if I do, I can target one card on the field that I can place a Spell counter on and place up to two Spell counters on it! I target Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode!" Two blue orbs came out of Mythical Bestiary and orbited around Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode's staff as he powered up further.

**Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode SC: 2 + 2 = 4**

**Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode: 2900 + 2000 = 4900 **

"A monster with almost 5000 attack points?!" the Sergeant said in shock.

"Correct!" Stregone replied. "And now I activate the effect of Shuffle Reborn from my Graveyard! I target one card I control and shuffle it into my deck. By doing so, I can draw one card from my deck! I shuffle Timegazer Magician into my deck and draw one card!" Timegazer Magician vanished into particles as Stregone shuffled the card back into his deck. He then drew a card from the top of his deck.

"The effect of Magical City of Endymion activates once again!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 3 + 1 = 4**

"I activate one last Spell card, Magical Blast! For every Spellcaster Monster I control, you take 200 points of damage! Since I control two Spellcaster monsters, you take 400 points of damage!" Endymion and Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode joined forces as they fired a blast of magical energy from both their staffs at Sergeant, pushing him back slightly.

**Sergeant of Hanoi: 3700 – 400 = 3300 LP**

"Magical City of Endymion's effect!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 4 + 1 = 5**

"Battle!" Stregone declared. "Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic attacks Kozmo Delta Shuttle! Magical Overload!" The Spell counters on Endymion glowed as he raised his staff into the air and fired a blast of magical energy at Delta Shuttle, which went through the spaceship and destroyed it, causing an explosion. As a result, the Sergeant had to cover his eyes.

**Sergeant of Hanoi: 3300 – 800 = 2500 LP**

"This match is over! Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode attacks Kozmo Landwalker! Arcane Magical Burst!" Arcanite Magician/Assault spun his staff in front of him, creating a magical circle. He then fired a blast of magical energy into the circle, which, once it left the circle, magnified in size. The newly magnified blast then went through Landwalker's head and through the walker's body, destroying it once and for all. The explosion that soon followed sent the Sergeant flying backwards, turning into black data as he did so.

**Sergeant of Hanoi: 2500 – 2500 = 0**

Soon, people who were witnessing the duel came out of the alleyways and began clapping and cheering for him. Even Raguel couldn't help but step out of the alleyway and clap for him.

"Why are we clapping and cheering for this duelist?" Herald asked as Raguel continued clapping.

"I'll tell you later," was all Raguel told Herald, causing him to sigh in confusion.

Stregone gave the crowd a salute as they continued to cheer and clap for him.

"You saw that duel? Right, Roxy?" Raguel asked her.

"Loud and clear." Roxy confirmed, as she looked at the monitors. "Whenever Stregone duels, it's a wild ride!"

"That we can both agree on." Raguel replied, smiling. Suddenly, the winds around him began picking up. "Roxy, what's going on?"

"Hang on!" she said, typing on the keyboard. Her eyes widened in fear upon looking at the monitors. "Yuhiro, you've got to log out now!"

"Why? What's-?" When he looked up, he gasped. The area he was in was surrounded by a transparent dome. Thin purple tornados emerged from holes in the dome and connected to the ground, which generated high-speed winds.

"The hell is this?" Raguel wondered, his eyes wide.

Meanwhile, in the Hanoi Stronghold, Infearno and Specter were watching the events occurring in LINK VRAINS on two monitors. The monitor on the left showed the launch of the Hanoi's latest weapon: the Data Gale. Whereas the monitor on the right showed the recording of the duel between Stregone and the Sergeant of Hanoi.

"Mirror Force..." Infearno muttered.

"And Assault Mode Activate..." Specter also said. He turned to face Infearno. "Both cards are very deadly weapons, and they can most certainly turn the tide of a duel."

"Mirror Force is a more powerful weapon than Assault Mode Activate." Infearno said, crossing his arms as the recording showed Stregone using Mirror Force. "That's because Link Monsters can only exist in attack position. And since Playmaker and Raguel primarily use Link Monsters, that one card can wipe them all out upon activation."

"That is a good point." Specter replied, as he looked at the recording, which showed Stregone Special Summoning Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode through Assault Mode Activate. "The only way for us to use Assault Mode Activate, as well as Assault/Mode monsters, would be to include Synchro Monsters in our decks. And currently, out of all of us, the only ones who could use Assault Mode Activate and Assault/Mode monsters..."

"Are myself and the Secretary." Infearno finished for him. He turned to Specter. "Contact Revolver. Tell him I have some interesting information for him. Information that can help him defeat Playmaker."

"Most certainly." Specter materialized out of the Hanoi Stronghold after saying that.

As Infearno turned back to the monitors, he narrowed his eyes. _Stregone, you are quite an interesting duelist_, he thought. He then smirked. _You unknowingly brought us a gift. One that will be used to end Playmaker and Raguel once and for all!_

**Card Gallery**

_Pendulum Pot (Normal Spell Card)_

_Effect: Draw cards from your deck equal to the number of cards in your Pendulum Zones. If this card is in your GY: You can banish this card; draw cards from your deck equal to the number of cards in your Pendulum Zones. You can only use 1 'Pendulum Pot' effect per turn, and only once that turn._

**QOTC**

_What archetypes would you like to see in this story?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 13: Hanoi Inbound. The emergence of a Data Gale managed to diminish any hope that Stregone brought to LINK VRAINS. Raguel teams up with Stregone to investigate this new phenomenon, only to run into Go Onizuka, who is dueling the Hanoi lieutenant known as Dr. Genome. Upon seeing Raguel, Dr. Genome commands a squadron of Knights of Hanoi to block their path. Just when they're outnumbered though..._

_**Responses to Reviews and Author Notes**_

_Thank you to savagemaster1999, Jason, HunterHQ, Noobmaster, Unknown, Lightning, and Guest for reviewing _Chapter 11 of Obscured Truth.

Alright, this chapter is finally done, and the Another Arc has officially begun! I hope you all enjoy this chapter just as much as I enjoyed writing it. Before we go to the reviews, we'll talk about what happened this chapter.

One of the main things that happens in this chapter is Yuhiro and Yusaku officially meeting up in the real world after learning each other's identities in LINK VRAINS. Due to the Hanoi attacking people in LINK VRAINS and turning them into 'Anothers', Yuhiro forms a temporary alliance with Yusaku until the mess is cleared up with.

The second thing that happens in this chapter is the first appearance of an OC of mine I wanted to introduce for a while now: Stregone. For his LINK VRAINS appearance, I drew inspiration from none other than Mysterio from Spider Man: Far from Home. When making this OC, I basically asked myself: What if Mysterio really was a good guy throughout the movie? What would his personality be like? And that's how Stregone was born.

For his deck, he uses an Endymion/Mythical Beast deck, which focuses on utilizing Spell Counters to provide benefits for the duelist. As shown in this chapter, Stregone also incorporates Pendulum and Synchro Summoning, as well as an Assault/Mode monster. The emergence of Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode means that I plan to introduce more Assault Mode monsters in the future. Which ones, I can't say, so stay tuned.

For Stregone's opponent, I introduced something called a Sergeant of Hanoi. What is that exactly? It's basically a Knight of Hanoi who's proven his loyalty to the Hanoi, and as a result, they get promoted to Sergeant. Upon being promoted, they report to the higher ups of the Knights of Hanoi directly, obtain command over a small squad of Knights of Hanoi, and are given more powerful decks to use in the event of a duel. I chose the Kozmo deck because most of the members are DARK Machines, and it fits with the Hanoi grunts using raw firepower as their main strategy.

The last main thing that happens in this chapter is the discussion between Infearno and Specter, where they bring up a mysterious 'Secretary' several times. Who this secretary is, you'll have to keep on reading to find out.

And now it's time for the reviews.

Savagemaster1999: If you look closely in Chapter 11, you can see SengokuQueen discard the Six Samurai Yaichi for one of her card's effects. She also summons The Six Samurai – Zanji to her field twice. Also, I do plan on having her use more, original Six Samurai monsters, spells and trap cards.

Jason: I encourage you to keep on reading, Jason. You'll find this story very intriguing as it goes on.

HunterHQ: SengokuQueen isn't aware of the corruption in SOL Technologies just yet. Also, I do plan on her using Great Shogun Shien in a future duel during the Another Arc. I encourage you to keep on reading to find out when.

Noobmaster: I'm glad that you're excited for what's to come. You'll be surprised, that's for sure.

Unknown: I have a plan for SengokuQueen not just in Season 1, but for Season 2 as well.

Lightning: Thanks very much. And good to hear from you again as well. For more incredible chapters to come, I encourage you to keep on reading.

Guest: Good point you raise up. I have a plan for SengokuQueen, which will be shown throughout Seasons 1 and 2. If you're curious as to what that plan is, keep on reading.

As always, let me know your thoughts about this chapter, as well as any questions, comments, or opinions you may have. If you know anyone who may like this story, then I encourage you to let them know about it as well. I accept any constructive criticism you have, as it helps to improve the story for the future. See you next time!


	13. Chapter 13: Hanoi Inbound

**Chapter 13: Hanoi Inbound**

_In the Hanoi Stronghold..._

Infearno stood in the Hanoi Stronghold and looked at the two monitors in front of him. On the left monitor was the main event currently ongoing in LINK VRAINS. At the moment, his comrade Dr. Genome began a Speed Duel against the #1 Charisma Duelist, Go Onizuka. He had faith in Dr. Genome's dueling abilities, as anyone that got in the Hanoi's way had to be eliminated.

On the right monitor was the recording of Stregone's duel against one of the Hanoi's Sergeants. After watching that particular duel, Infearno replayed it a few more times in order to understand how Stregone dueled. As a result, he found two things that could help the Hanoi: Mirror Force, and Assault Mode Activate. While the latter option would less likely be used in the future, Infearno could see the Hanoi using Mirror Force. Especially against duelists such as Playmaker and Raguel.

"Infearno." He turned around and saw Revolver materialize behind him. "Specter said you had information for me. Information that can help defeat Playmaker."

"I do." Infearno confirmed, gesturing to the right monitor. "The duelist known as Stregone provided us with not one, but two weapons for the Hanoi to use. With your approval, of course." Revolver stepped up beside Infearno and looked at the right screen. "Like this one." Revolver paid attention as the recording showed Stregone activate Mirror Force against the Sergeant, reflecting the attack back to the Sergeant's two Kozmo Dark Destroyers.

"Interesting." Revolver pondered. "Mirror Force not only negates the attack, but destroys all monsters that are in attack position."

"And since Link Monsters can only exist in attack position," Infearno added, "they'll face pure destruction unless the duelist finds a way to protect them."

"Which will be highly unlikely." Revolver commented before turning his head to look at Infearno. "What was the other weapon that you mentioned?"

"Allow me to show you." Infearno replied, as he fast-forwarded the recording of Stregone's duel. During Stregone's final turn, he activated Assault Mode Activate, which let him tribute his Arcanite Magician and summon Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode. "As shown in the recording, '/Assault Mode' monsters are basically an evolved version of Synchro monsters with a stronger effect than their pre-evolved form. Although you don't see yourself using it anytime soon, correct?"

"Unfortunately." Revolver admitted. "But keep the recording. It would be a waste to get rid of information like this." Before turning around and materializing out of the Hanoi Stronghold, he added, "Good job finding this information. If you see anything else, let me know as soon as you can."

"Understood." Infearno said, giving a slight bow as Revolver materialized out of the Hanoi Stronghold.

He turned back to the two monitors in front of him. _It would be wise to keep an eye on any duelists that challenge the Hanoi_, he thought. _After all, with the information they provide us, it will eventually lead to their undoing!_

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel looked around him at the black tornadoes and the transparent dome. Even Stregone was shocked at what was going on around him. "Roxy, what the hell is this?" he asked her. In the back room of Café Matsuo, Roxy scowled.

"Not sure, Yuhiro. I've never seen these readings before. But it looks like someone turned up the Data Storm in that area to an eleven. And if I'm right, you should be able to ride on your Duel board in this area without being on a data stream." As Roxy kept typing, she grit her teeth in annoyance. "From what our systems are saying, the program is called a 'Data Gale'."

"Data Gale?" Raguel repeated. He pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk to try and log out. Unfortunately for him, it didn't work. "Roxy, I can't log out. Whatever program that was used to make this dome, it's keeping everyone here trapped."

"I'm aware of-. Hold on. Something just came up." Roxy said, going to a different monitor. She opened the news on LINK VRAINS. Unfortunately, it wasn't good.

"Well, that's not good."

"What is it?"

"Go Onizuka's dueling a Knight of Hanoi," Roxy answered him. "His alias is Dr. Genome. Guess he was the one who activated the Data Gale."

"Go Onizuka?" Raguel said, surprised. "I haven't heard any news about Go since I dueled him. What are they saying about him exactly?"

"Nothing good at the moment, that's for sure." Roxy replied. "Basically, Go challenged Dr. Genome to an all or nothing duel. If Go wins, he gets the Another removal program. However..."

"Roxy? Is everything okay?" Raguel asked her.

"You're not going to like the next part of what I'm about to say," Roxy said. "Should Dr. Genome win, then Go will have to reveal Playmaker's identity to him."

Raguel's eyes widened in shock. "Go knows Playmaker's identity?" This was certainly new information to him.

"I don't fully know. Perhaps Go said it just to draw Dr. Genome out, but if what Go was saying was true..."

"It'll be disastrous for Playmaker should Go lose." Raguel realized. "Do you know where they are?"

"Duh. Of course I do. Their duel is going on as we speak." Roxy stated. "So if I were you, I'd get on that Duel board of yours and start looking around the dome to find them."

Raguel couldn't help but snicker. "Alright, Roxy. Thanks for the motivation. I'll let you know if I find anything." After he said that, Raguel pointed his Duel Disk towards the top of a nearby building and fired his Duel Anchor. He used it as a grappling hook to pull himself to the top. Using the momentum of being pulled, Raguel swung forward and briefly free-fell before landing on his Duel board.

To Raguel's surprise, Stregone was following behind him on his own duel board.

"Stregone?" Raguel asked, turning his head to face the Charisma Duelist. "Why are you following me? Shouldn't you be helping the crowd?"

"I already managed to evacuate the crowd to a safe place somewhere in the dome." Stregone replied. "But they won't be safe unless they're able to log out. I'm here to find the source of this dome and hopefully destroy it." He then added, "Considering how the both of us are fighting against the Hanoi at the moment, why don't we team up?"

"I..." Raguel hesitated. After what happened with Blue Angel, he didn't want to risk losing anyone else against the Hanoi. However, he would consider working with those that went through the Lost Incident, similar to him.

"What this man's proposing is a good idea." Herald said, emerging from Raguel's Duel Disk. "After all, if we're going to find Go Onizuka, then two sets of eyes are better than one."

"Go Onizuka?" Stregone repeated. "Is everything okay with him?"

"He's dueling against Dr. Genome, the one who activated the Data Gale." Raguel responded. "Are you and Go friends or something?"

"That we are." Stregone said with a smile. He then turned his head to look ahead. "Since this matter is affecting my friend, I have to do whatever I can to help. This is why I'm asking if we can team up. At least until this is over."

Raguel relented. "Alright. You look over one area of the dome, and I'll do the same." He then pressed a button on his Duel Disk, causing Stregone's Duel Disk to briefly glow. "If I find Go, then I'll let you know."

"Vice versa." Stregone then sped off on his Duel Board as he searched for Go, while Raguel did the same. After a few minutes of searching, Raguel was the first to be able to find Go and his opponent, who were – wait, what the heck? Raguel rubbed his eyes. Was he seeing things, or was Go wearing a black and white mask with a mane of teal hair on it? He also didn't recognize the monster Go had on his field as well, which also had a mask on.

"Stregone, I found him." Raguel said. "Sending location now." After doing so, he decided to keep his distance. At least until Stregone appeared at his location.

_What the hell are you doing, Go?_ Raguel wondered. Looking at who Go was dueling, Raguel saw someone who had green hair and a yellow and silver mask covering his left eye. _This must be __Dr. Genome_, he thought. Pressing a few buttons on his Duel Disk, Raguel was able to get a visual of the duel field. While Go had Gouki Thunder Ogre, Gouki Dark Mask, and a face-down card, Dr. Genome had a monster called Helix Marmotroll on his field.

"Show me Dark Onizuka's DNA." Dr. Genome said. Raguel couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Seriously? Dark Onizuka? In Raguel's opinion, Grim Gore would have been a better name.

"You won't be seeing nothing!" Go said. "Not after I activate my Spell card, Gouki Poison Mist!" Go sped forward to Dr. Genome and literally spat purple liquid in his face.

"Ow! My ocular!" Dr. Genome said as his life points dropped to 3300. "How can I duel without my vision?"

"That's your problem." Go replied. "You go figure it out, crybaby. While you're busy wiping the goo out of your eye duct, I'll be wiping the floor with you when I use Thunder Ogre's effect!"

Raguel watched as Go used his Thunder Ogre's effect to Normal Summon Gouki Riscorpio, then have it throw Riscorpio at Marmotroll. He immediately understood what Go was doing; since Riscorpio was at Thunder Ogre's Link Marker when it was destroyed, Thunder Ogre became stronger. For a little damage, Thunder Ogre's attack points increased. He also learned that the mask Thunder Ogre was wearing wasn't only just for decoration; it also dealt Dr. Genome damage whenever Thunder Ogre's effect activated. Ultimately, while Go had to suffer a little pain, he obtained a great amount of gain for it.

Raguel frowned to himself. When he dueled against Go, he actually enjoyed his duel with him because of Go's Dueltainment. But this time, Go was using a totally different strategy.

"Roxy, what happened before I showed up?" he asked over the earpiece. "When did Go put on the mask?"

"Right when he activated the Equip Spell card, Gouki Dark Mask, and equipped it onto Gouki Thunder Ogre." Roxy answered. "He said that the mask was him signalling a heel turn."

"A heel – what?"

"A heel turn." Herald clarified. "A wrestling term, where the good guy, or face, becomes the bad guy, or heel. The duelist known as Go Onizuka seems to have invoked a heel turn to show that his dueling style has changed since his duels with both you and Playmaker."

"I was talking to Roxy." Raguel said, turning to Herald. "You didn't have to answer that."

"But as your partner, it's my job to help you when I can." Herald responded, turning to Raguel. As a result, Raguel rolled his eyes.

"Then do me a favor and see if you can enhance the programs on my Duel Disk." Raguel replied.

"And what are you going to do in the meantime?" Herald asked.

"Simple. Watch the duel." Herald grumbled as he disappeared into the Duel Disk. Raguel turned back to the duel, only to see Thunder Ogre punch through a building to destroy Marmotroll. _This isn't Man of Steel, Go_, Raguel thought as he narrowed his eyes.

He soon overheard Go and Dr. Genome's conversation. "Your heel fighting style is quite fun!"

"I've evolved into Dark Onizuka!" Go declared.

Dr. Genome laughed in response. "You evolved because of your loss against Playmaker?"

"Not just Playmaker, but Raguel as well." Go clarified. "After those duels, everything began to change."

Go looked downwards as he continued. "After my duel with Playmaker, the children in the orphanage idolized me once again. And even after I lost against Raguel, they still looked up to me. When Playmaker and Raguel appeared, they changed this entire generation. In order to defeat them, I studied my deck. And that's when I learned something. My dueling was last generation. Only used for Dueltainment."

Go raised his head and glared at Dr. Genome. "And at that moment, I made my mind! I'll change my dueling style to a dark one and do anything to win! If the crowd seeks overwhelming power, then I'll give it to them! That is my Dueltainment!"

"Is that what you honestly believe, Go?"

Go turned behind him upon hearing the voice. It was Stregone, who was with Raguel.

"Sorry it took so long to find this location, Raguel." Stregone briefly said to Raguel before turning to look at Go. "You once told me that a true champion never abandons their dueling style. Nor do they abandon what's most important to them: their Dueltainment."

"Stregone, I..."

"Go. Listen!" Stregone interrupted. "It's okay if sometimes you lose a duel. It's okay to learn from your mistakes and fine-tweak your current dueling style to keep the crowd entertained." He then narrowed his eyes. "But if you abandon it completely, you're not only giving up on yourself, but you're also giving up on those that look up to you. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?"

Go's mouth dropped slightly as he listened to what Stregone told him. At that moment, he realized he was right. He couldn't give up on the kids that looked up to him. Not now, and not ever!

He narrowed his eyes and nodded at Stregone. "Stregone. Thank you. I guess I needed that pep talk."

"Anytime, old friend." Stregone replied.

Dr. Genome, who was listening, couldn't help but sigh. "Even if you become a heel, your DNA hasn't changed, and it never will. EVERYTHING IS PREDETERMINED!"

"Stop joking!" Go responded, turning back to Dr. Genome. "I'll decide my own destiny through this duel!"

Dr. Genome smirked. "In that case, I'll be the one to personally show you the limits of your DNA. My turn! I-!"

Though before Dr. Genome could make his move, a Sergeant of Hanoi, along with three Knights of Hanoi, appeared out of nowhere and rode their duel boards so they could be parallel to him.

"Hey, what's-?" Before Dr. Genome could say anything else, his Duel Disk beeped, causing him to push a button in order to answer it. "Yes?"

"I've sent you a small squad to deal with Raguel and Stregone." the voice of Infearno told him. "Per Revolver's orders, Raguel must be eliminated. I also want to see more of Stregone in action as well."

"You do realize I'm in the middle of a duel, right?" Dr. Genome said to Infearno.

"I'm aware." Infearno replied. "Do this, and you'll get to analyze Raguel's DNA first-hand."

Upon hearing this, Dr. Genome's eyes widened. "Very well. I will do it." Turning to the Sergeant, he said, "You and the other Knights take care of Raguel and Stregone!"

"Yes sir!" the Sergeant replied, taking the Knights with him to challenge Raguel and Stregone.

"Hey! What's taking you so long?" Go shouted at Dr. Genome. "Are you going to make your move or not?"

"I assure you, I am going to make my move. Just had to take care of two nuisances whose names were Raguel and Stregone." Upon hearing Dr. Genome say Stregone's name, Go growled. "My turn! I draw!"

Meanwhile, the Sergeant and the Knights charged at Raguel and Stregone, causing Raguel to maneuver his Duel Board to the right, while Stregone managed to maneuver his Duel Board to the left.

"That was a close one." Stregone said. Unfortunately, the Sergeant and Knights drifted their duel boards and started chasing them away from Go and Dr. Genome. "You gotta be kidding me," he seethed as he looked to his left and right side. "They got us surrounded."

"No kidding, sherlock." Raguel replied. "Looks like we got no choice but to duel them ourselves."

"Then why don't I give you a hand?"

Upon hearing the voice, Raguel turned behind him, only to see one of the Knights being pulled by a Duel Anchor. When he saw who was responsible for the Duel Anchor, he was surprised to see Numera.

"Numera?" Raguel asked, making sure whether it was really her or not.

"The one and only." Numera confirmed. "Your client asked me to keep an eye on you, and help you out if possible."

"My cli-?" Suddenly, he realized which client Numera was talking about. _Guess you were successful in recruiting her, huh, Watchman_? Raguel thought.

"What is this? Get it off me!"

The next thing Raguel knew, out of nowhere, a light-green Duel Anchor was shot out of nowhere, which snaked its way around another Knight's wrist. He recognized that Duel Anchor.

"You're not getting away, Hanoi Scum!" Soon, Raguel recognized SengokuQueen, who quickly sped up on her duel board to face her opponent.

"You too, SengokuQueen?" Raguel asked. "I thought you were-."

"That can wait another time." SengokuQueen interrupted. "For now, SOL gave me a new mission: expunge the Hanoi from LINK VRAINS."

Raguel couldn't help but sigh as he rolled his eyes. Of course the higher-ups told her to fight against the Hanoi. After all, at the moment, they were the biggest threat in the network.

"You work for SOL? Like as a bounty hunter?" Stregone asked her, frowning.

"For now, yes." SengokuQueen confirmed. "I can't let them run free in the network. Which is why I suggest that we work together in taking these guys out."

"That seems like fun." Numera said, smirking. "Each of us takes on one of these buffoons, and once that's done, we'll interrogate them on any useful information they may have."

"I'll have you eat those words, kid!" the Knight growled at Numera.

"Very well." Raguel said. "But be careful, everyone."

"Don't worry, Raguel." Stregone said. "We'll all be fine." The four duelists then went in different directions, leading their opponents away.

_At Numera's duel..._

"You'll learn to fear the Hanoi's power!" the Knight declared. However, Numera simply yawned in response.

"Oh, sorry. Did you say something?" Numera then giggled before her face turned serious. "When I win this duel, there won't be any trace of you left!"

"Speed Duel!" Numera and the Knight shouted.

**Numera: 4000 LP**

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 LP**

"I think I shall go first!" Numera said, as she swiped her hand in front of her, revealing her cards. She smirked. _While I could summon my protector, I want to humiliate this guy first_, she thought. "I activate the Spell card, Card Destruction! Now both of us must discard all the cards in our hands before drawing the same amount of cards from our decks!" Using Card Destruction, both Numera and the Knight drew the top three cards from their decks.

"I'll Set three cards face-down and end my turn." Numera concluded.

"That's it? No monsters?" the Knight asked. "This duel will be over in a breeze! My turn! I draw! Since you control no monsters, I can Special Summon Hack Worm!" A mechanical brown worm with green lines running across its body appeared and roared at Numera.

**Hack Worm ATK: 400 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Next, since I control a DARK Machine monster, I can Special Summon Hack Turtle from my hand!" A mechanical brown turtle with green lines running across its body also appeared on the Knight's field.

**Hack Turtle ATK: 0 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4**

"Hack Turtle's effect!" the Knight continued. "If it was Special Summoned by its own effect, I can add a DARK Machine monster from my deck to my hand!" Using Hack Turtle's effect, the Knight added Cracking Dragon to his hand.

"I then tribute Hack Worm and Hack Turtle to Tribute Summon my Cracking Dragon!" A black and green mechanical dragon with six bladed wings attached by six glowing lights emerged onto the Knight's field and roared at Numera.

**Cracking Dragon ATK: 3000 DEF: 0 LV: 8**

"I Set one card! Battle!" the Knight declared. "Cracking Dragon attacks you directly, little girl! Traffic Blast!" Cracking Dragon charged up a stream of blue fire from its mouth at Numera, but...

"I activate my Trap card, Mathmech Superfactorial!" Numera interrupted. "I can target up to three 'Mathmech' monsters in my Graveyard with different names and apply one of two effects! I think I'll choose Effect 1, which lets me Special Summon them from my Graveyard by negating their effects! The monsters I bring back are Mathmech Sigma, Mathmech Addition, and Mathmech Subtraction!"

"You brought back three monsters at once?" the Knight said, shocked as three yellow binary lights appeared on Numera's field, revealing three monsters.

The first monster, Mathmech Sigma, was a red and white robot carrying a bladed sword. The robot had blue eyes, and on the top of its head was two white spikes that were curved.

**Mathmech Sigma ATK: 1000 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4**

The second monster, Mathmech Addition, was a red robot with a long cape carrying a large, broad sword. The robot had two white spikes on each of its shoulders and two white, slanted horns on the sides of its head.

**Mathmech Addition ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

The third monster, Mathmech Subtraction, was a red robot with a huge scarf carrying a slimmer sword. The robot had two white spikes on each of its shoulders and on top of its head, as well as a red spike on its kneecaps.

**Mathmech Subtraction ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"The best part of this effect," Numera continued, "is that I get to Synchro Summon a 'Mathmech' Synchro Monster by shuffling monsters on my field into my deck!"

"What?" the Knight said, shocked at what was going on.

"Level 4 Mathmech Sigma tunes Level 4 Mathmech Addition and Level 4 Mathmech Subtraction!" Numera declared, squealing in excitement for the appearance of her ace monster. A bolt of red lightning appeared as the whole world greyed out and her three monsters disintegrated into particles. Three rings, one yellow and two red, appeared before turning blue and merging. This time, twelve blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "4 + 4 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "12" as light surged through the rings.

"Code, Metal, and Fire combine into one!" Numera declared. "Sigma's ultimate evolution has been reached, and is now ready to incinerate all who oppose it! Synchro Summon! Appear, my protector! Geomathmech Final Sigma!" A massive red and white robot, bigger than its brethren, emerged from the light and on Numera's field in the right Extra Monster Zone, carrying a blazing sword. The robot had shredded pieces of a cape on both its shoulders and its waist.

**Geomathmech Final Sigma ATK: 3000 DEF: 0 LVL: 12**

"Do you wish to resume your attack?" Numera asked the Knight, as though she were taunting him.

"I cancel my attack," the Knight grumbled, as Cracking Dragon stopped charging energy. "But that doesn't mean you're safe! I end my turn."

"That's what they all say," Numera replied. "My turn! I draw! I activate my two Continuous-Trap cards, which are both called Mathmech Induction! Now all Cyberse monsters on my side of the field gain 500 attack points! And since there's two Mathmech Induction's, Final Sigma gains 1000 attack points!"

**Geomathmech Final Sigma ATK: 3000 + 500 + 500 = 4000**

"Next, I activate the Equip Spell card, Mathmech Billionblade Nayuta, and equip it onto Final Sigma!" As Numera said this, the sword in Final Sigma's hands changed to a massive blade with ridged spikes at the front. The blade also had a bigger handle, letting Final Sigma wield it with better efficiency.

"Battle!" Numera declared. "Geomathmech Final Sigma attacks Cracking Dragon! At this point, the effect of Billionblade Nayuta activates! By sending a 'Mathmech' monster from my deck to the Graveyard, the equipped monster gains attack points equal to the sent monsters attack points until the end of the turn! I'll send Mathmech Nabla from my deck to the Graveyard so Final Sigma gains its 1000 attack points until the end of the turn!" The Billionblade Nayuta in Final Sigma's hands glowed with fiery energy as Numera sent Mathmech Nabla from her deck to the Graveyard.

**Geomathmech Final Sigma ATK: 4000 + 1000 = 5000**

"Your efforts are in vain!" the Knight said. "Trap card, activate! Crack Roar!" The card showed Cracking Dragon roaring at Marauding Captain and Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts, causing them to run in terror. "When my opponent attacks a Cracking Dragon I control, your monsters attack points are reduced to zero until the end of the turn! Take this!" Cracking Dragon let out a massive screech at Final Sigma, but...

"Final Sigma's effect!" Numera interrupted. "While he's in the Extra Monster Zone, it's unaffected by card effects, except by 'Mathmech' cards. Go, Heat Shield!" Final Sigma was soon doused in a fiery shield, protecting the massive robot from Cracking Dragon's roar.

"The battle still continues!" Numera said. "Geomathmech Final Sigma attacks Cracking Dragon! Scorching Termination!" Final Sigma charged forward and slashed Cracking Dragon in two, causing severe burn marks on it.

As Cracking Dragon started to overheat, Numera added, "Final Sigma's second effect activates! If it's in the Extra Monster Zone when it battles a monster you control, all battle damage is doubled!"

"CRAP!" the Knight screamed, as Cracking Dragon exploded, causing him to be sent flying off his duel board.

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 – (2000 X 2) = 0**

Before he could fall further to the ground, Final Sigma sped forward and grabbed him in its right hand.

"Nicely done, Final Sigma." Numera said, praising her protector before going closer to the Knight. "Now tell me, Mr. Knight. Who's the person responsible for creating the virus that's turning people into Anothers?"

"I won't talk!" the Knight replied.

Numera shrugged her shoulders. "Alright. Do it, Final Sigma!" On Numera's command, Final Sigma squeezed his fist, causing the Knight lots of pain until he yielded.

"Alright, alright. You win! The person who's responsible is-."

In the Hanoi Stronghold, Infearno sighed and opened a screen. He swiped right and said, "Erase."

The Knight screamed as his body turned into black data, causing Final Sigma to let his remains go in surprise as he disappeared.

"Are you okay, protector?" Numera asked Final Sigma, who nodded in response. Seeing that her protector was okay, Numera jumped off her duel board and onto Final Sigma's right hand. "Let's go find Raguel and the others, okay?" At Numera's command, Final Sigma took off.

_At Stregone's duel..._

"No matter how many of you show up, I won't let you harm LINK VRAINS!" Stregone declared.

"Let's see if you can keep that promise!" the Knight responded.

"Speed Duel!" Stregone and the Knight declared.

**Stregone: 4000 LP**

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 LP**

"The first move's mine!" Stregone declared. "My turn! I activate the Spell card, Pendulum Call! I discard one card, and in exchange, I can add two 'Magician' Pendulum monsters with different names from my deck to my hand!" Using Pendulum Call, Stregone discarded Mythical Beast Jackal to add Stargazer Magician and Timegazer Magician to his hand.

"I then activate the Continuous-Spell card, Endymion's Lab! While it's in the Spell and Trap card zone, it's name also becomes 'Magical City of Endymion'! Also, each time a Spell card resolves, I can place 1 Spell counter on this card!"

"Now it's time to show you something spectacular!" Stregone said as he selected two cards in his hand. "With the Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and the Scale 8 Timegazer Magician, I set the Pendulum Scale!"

On either side of Stregone's field, two pillars of light appeared. In the pillar of light on his right was a magician with brown hair and dark robes. There were gold-like elements on each of his upper arms, with chrome plating on the lower section of his arms. On his right arm was a disk that fired out a gold, clock-like blade. Timegazer also wore a black magician's cap with a gold-like element on it, as well as metallic plating on his left leg.

In the pillar of light on the left was a magician with long blond hair and white robes with a purple cape. On the magician's chest was black-plating, with four small orbs on either side and a big orb at the center. Like Timegazer, Stargazer also wore a magician's cap, only white. In his left hand, he carried a double-bladed staff, with a massive white circle at the center.

**Stargazer Magician Scale: 1**

**Timegazer Magician Scale: 8**

"I activate the Spell card, Pendulum Pot! When this card is activated, I can draw cards from my deck equal to the number of cards in my Pendulum zones. Since I have two cards in my Pendulum zones, I can draw two cards!" After explaining, he drew the top two cards of his deck.

"Endymion's Lab's effect!"

**Endymion's Lab SC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"Swing far, pendulum! Carve the arc of victory!" Stregone chanted. "With the set Pendulum Scale, I can Special Summon monsters between Levels 2 and 7 at the same time! Emerge, Crusader of Endymion and Frequency Magician!" Soon, a portal opened between the two pillars, out of which two lights appeared. The lights hit the field and then dissipated, revealing two monsters.

The first was a small magician with a light violet cape, a chrome cap on his head and a small black mask covering his eyes. The magician also wore an amice with a chasuble as well. In each of the magician's hands were custom made repulsors.

The second was a dark blue-armored warrior with a Spell-counter circle in the middle of his body. His arms and legs were magically attached to massive blue armor on each side. He also wore a blue helmet with gold outlines as well.

**Frequency Magician ATK: 800 DEF: 400 LVL: 2**

**Crusader of Endymion ATK: 1900 DEF: 1200 LVL: 4**

"Level 2 Frequency Magician tunes Level 4 Crusader of Endymion!" Stregone declared. A bolt of green lightning struck him as the world greyed out and his two monsters disintegrated into particles. Two rings, one yellow and one dark blue appeared before turning blue and merging. Six blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "2 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "6" as light surged through the rings.

"The magician of explosive might appears in a flash!" Stregone chanted. "Synchro Summon! Appear, Explosive Magician!" A tall magician wearing white robes with golden outlines was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Stregone's field. Behind the magician were six, golden orbs orbiting around him in a circle. In Explosive Magician's right hand was a small scepter with a pincer at the top of it.

**Explosive Magician ATK: 2500 DEF: 1800 LVL: 6**

"That ends my turn." Stregone concluded. _It may not be the best opening move_, Stregone thought, _but at least I can defend myself against monsters with lower than 2500 attack points_.

"My turn! I draw!" the Knight declared. "I activate the effect of Danger! Bigfoot! from my hand! I reveal it to you, and then you choose one card randomly from my hand to discard. If the card I discarded wasn't Danger! Bigfoot!, I get to Special Summon it from my hand and draw one card! If it's discarded though, I can target 1 card you control and destroy it! Here you go!" The Knight revealed Danger! Bigfoot! from his hand to Stregone before disappearing and showing five cards.

_Gotta play this carefully_, Stregone thought. _Worse case scenario, he'll have a strong monster on his turn_. Thinking quickly, he said, "I choose the far right card!" The card in the Knight's hand revealed itself to be Danger! Ogopogo!.

"You may think you're lucky," the Knight boasted, "but now I get to Special Summon Bigfoot from my hand and draw one card from my deck!" A massive, blue and brown-skinned creature with long, brown bushy hair appeared on the Knight's field and growled at Stregone. After doing that, the Knight drew one card from his deck.

**Danger! Bigfoot! ATK: 3000 DEF: 0 LVL: 8**

"Next, I activate the Equip Spell card, Danger! Feets of Strength! A 'Danger!' monster equipped with this card not only gains 800 attack and defense points, but also cannot be destroyed by card effects! Also, it can attack monsters up to two times! And I choose Danger! Bigfoot!"

_Ah crap_, Stregone thought, as Bigfoot was surrounded in a red aura, which indicated it was getting stronger.

**Danger! Bigfoot ATK: 3000 + 800 = 3800 DEF: 0 + 800 = 800**

"From there, I activate the effect of Danger! Thunderbird! from my hand! I reveal it to you, and then you choose one card randomly from my hand to discard. If the card I discarded wasn't Danger! Thunderbird!, I get to Special Summon it from my hand and draw one card! However, in the event it was discarded, I get to target and destroy one Set card you control! Here you go!" The Knight revealed Danger! Thunderbird! from his hand before disappearing and showing four cards.

_Come on, Stregone. Think. You're a magician. Figure it out_, Stregone thought. He suddenly realized something. It was like a magic trick with a deck of cards. Only this deck had four cards. And one of them was the one he didn't want to pick.

"What are you waiting for?" the Knight asked. "Is this your way of saying you surrender?"

"Definitely no!" Stregone replied. "And to answer your question, I choose the second card in the middle-left!" The card in the Knight's hand revealed itself to be Danger! Thunderbird. "All right! Sayonara!" The Knight gritted his teeth as he sent it to the Graveyard, realizing he couldn't activate its effect because there were no Set cards on Stregone's field.

"Fine, but you asked for this!" the Knight replied. "I activate the effect of Danger! Dogman from my hand! I reveal it to you, and then you choose one card randomly from my hand to discard. If the card I discarded wasn't Danger! Dogman, I can Special Summon it from my hand and draw one card! But if it was discarded, all monsters you control lose 1000 attack points until the end of the turn! Here it is!" The Knight revealed Danger! Dogman from his hand before it disappeared and showed four cards.

"I choose the far left card!" Stregone immediately replied. To his annoyance, the card revealed was not Danger! Dogman. Instead, it was Danger! Nessie!. _At least my monster doesn't lose attack points_, he thought.

"What a fool you are!" the Knight said. "Now I get to Special Summon Danger! Dogman from my hand and draw one card from my deck!" A large, furry dog standing on its hind-legs appeared on the Knight's field and howled at Stregone. It had a silver, red mane around its neck, as well as bandages on its wrists. The Knight then drew one card from the top of his deck.

**Danger! Dogman! ATK: 2400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 7**

"It's time to battle!" the Knight declared. "Danger! Bigfoot! attacks Explosive Magician! Brutal Squeeze!" Bigfoot charged forward and gave Explosive Magician a bear hug, squeezing him until he turned into particles.

**Stregone: 4000 – 1300 = 2700 LP**

"Dogman attacks you directly!" the Knight added. Dogman jumped forward and scratched Stregone, pushing him back before returning to the Knight's field.

**Stregone: 2700 – 2400 = 300 LP**

Satisfied with the beatdown, the Knight said, "I end my turn. Do you think you can beat this, Mr. Charisma Duelist?"

"We'll find out next turn," Stregone replied. "My turn! I draw!" Stregone drew the top card of his deck and looked at it. _Not bad_, he thought. "I activate the effect of Pendulum Pot from my Graveyard! By banishing it, I can draw cards equal to the number of cards in my Pendulum Zones! As there's two cards in my Pendulum Zones, I can draw two cards from my deck!" After explaining, he drew the top two cards of his deck.

"Endymion's Lab's effect!"

**Endymion's Lab SC: 1 + 1 = 2**

"It's time to Pendulum Summon once again!" Stregone declared. "With the set Pendulum Scale, I can Special Summon monsters between Levels 2 and 7 at the same time! Come forth, Mythical Beast Medusa and Mythical Beast Master Cerberus!" Soon, a portal opened between the two pillars, out of which two lights appeared. The lights hit the field and then dissipated, revealing two monsters.

The first monster was a brown, hard shelled gorgon's head with green eyes. The head also had two wispy purple snake heads in front of it, as well as small wispy manes in front and around it.

The second monster was a blue skinned creature with small pieces of armor on its lower body and upper chest. The blue skinned creature wore a thin but long purple cape, had a long blue wispy tail, and had dark blue stripes on its chest. Master Cerberus even had long, blue wispy hair flowing back, along with three spiked horns. In his left hand, he carried a scepter with a Cerberus tail at the top.

**Mythical Beast Medusa ATK: 1500 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4**

**Mythical Beast Master Cerberus ATK: 2800 DEF: 2800 LVL: 8**

"I activate my Skill, Pendulum Manipulation!" Green mystical energy started to wrap around Stregone's arms. "For every Pendulum card I have on the field, I get to return one card you control to the bottom of your deck!"

"Seriously?" the Knight exclaimed.

"That's correct!" Stregone replied. "As I have four Pendulum cards on my field, I get to return up to four cards you control to the bottom of your deck! I choose your two monsters and your Equip Spell card!" Stregone then fired green mystical energy from his hands at Bigfoot, Dogman, and Feets of Strength!, turning them into green particles that went back into the bottom of the Knight's deck.

"Oh no!" the Knight said, realizing his field was empty.

"This is it!" Stregone declared. "Battle! Mythical Beast Medusa attacks you directly!" The two wispy purple snake heads in front of Medusa lashed forward and bit the Knight at each of his shoulders.

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 – 1500 = 2500 LP**

"Mythical Beast Master Cerberus now attacks you directly!" Stregone added. Master Cerberus fired a blast of blue magic at the Knight, shocking him until his life points hit zero.

**Knight of Hanoi: 2500 – 2800 = 0**

Unfortunately for the Knight, the attack caused him to lose control of his duel board, causing him to fall into a rooftop pool. Stregone managed to find him moments after as he tried to get up.

"Tell me what the Hanoi's endgame is regarding the Anothers." Stregone stated. "If you do, I'll let you log out peacefully, provided you surrender to the authorities."

"Like I'll talk." the Knight replied, as he fell over. "Just because you defeated me doesn't mean you've won. The Hanoi will come for anyone they declare an enemy, and they'll-."

Soon, the Knight clutched his chest and started screaming. He then turned into black data, which dissolved until there was nothing left.

"Shit." Stregone cursed. Suddenly, there was a massive explosion, causing Stregone to turn his head to the right. "That explosion came from Go's duel. I better check on him." He then sped off on his duel board to the scene of the explosion. _Hope that you're okay, Go_, Stregone thought. _Because if you lose this duel, I will avenge you, no matter what opponent I'm facing_.

_At SengokuQueen's duel..._

"This is your last chance to surrender peacefully!" SengokuQueen declared. "Otherwise, you'll be shown no mercy once our duel begins!"

"Even a woman is no match for the Hanoi!" the Knight boasted, which clearly got SengokuQueen upset. Very upset.

"You mock me just because I'm a woman?" SengokuQueen asked through gritted teeth. "If you want to survive what's to come, you better back up your words with your cards! Because no card will stop a woman's wrath once it's ignited!"

"Speed Duel!" SengokuQueen and the Knight shouted.

**SengokuQueen: 4000 LP**

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 LP**

"The first turn's mine!" SengokuQueen declared. "I Set one card face-down. Next, I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Gateway of the Six! Whenever a 'Six Samurai' monster is Normal or Special Summoned, I get to place two Bushido counters on it. Then I summon Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki from my hand!" A samurai with bronze armor and high boots with yellow lines appeared on SengokuQueen's field, carrying a katana in each arm. The samurai had a bronze mask with wires on his helmet. On the samurai's back was a set of mechanical arms, which also had a katana in each hand.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

"Gateway of the Six's effect now activates!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 0 + 2 = 2**

"I activate the effect of Grandmaster of the Six Samurai from my hand! If I control a 'Six Samurai' monster on my field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" An old samurai with a mechanical eyepatch on his face where his right eye should have been and a scar on the right side of his face also joined the field. He had long, white hair and a long beard to go with it. The robes he wore were an odd mix of silver-grey in the chest area with dark brown at the shoulders. Grandmaster also had mechanical arms with white lines and wrapped yellow rope at the joints. He swung his katana, ready for battle.

**Grandmaster of the Six Samurai ATK: 2100 DEF: 800 LVL: 5**

"Gateway's effect!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 2 + 2 = 4**

"Kageki's second effect!" SengokuQueen added. "Since I control a 'Six Samurai' monster with a different name, it gains 1500 attack points!"

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 + 1500 = 1700**

"With that, I end my turn." SengokuQueen concluded. "Now let's see if you're man enough to break through this!"

"You dare taunt me?" the Knight replied. "I'll have you regret those words. My turn! I draw!" He smirked upon looking at his cards. "Since I control no monsters, I get to Special Summon Steelswarm Cell from my hand!" A small black bug materialized on the Knight's field.

**Steelswarm Cell ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Next, I summon Steelswarm Sting from my hand!" A black hornet with small yellow wings, as well as arms and legs, also materialized on the Knight's field.

**Steelswarm Sting ATK: 1850 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

"From there, I activate my Spell card, Double Summon!" the Knight continued. "This card lets me Normal Summon an additional time this turn!" Looking at the cards in his hand, the Knight smirked. "With this monster, your defeat is at hand! I tribute Steelswarm Cell and Steelswarm Sting to Tribute Summon Steelswarm Caucastag!" A giant stag beetle with massive wings, granite-like armor, and red skin appeared on the Knight's field. Caucastag had three curved horns on the top of his head, along with spikes on the back of his shoulders and on his kneecaps.

**Steelswarm Caucastag ATK: 2800 DEF: 0**

"Caucastag's effect! When it's Tribute Summoned by tributing two 'Steelswarm' monsters-!"

"It won't get to do a thing!" SengokuQueen immediately interjected. "Counter-Trap activate, Musakani Magatama! If you activate a Spell, Trap, or Monster Effect that would destroy a card while I control a 'Six Samurai' monster on my field, I can negate the effect and destroy it!" A dark-green blast fired out of Musakani Magatama, which hit Caucastag, turning the giant stag beetle into particles.

"That won't stop me!" the Knight replied. "I activate the Spell card, Monster Reborn! Now I can Special Summon a monster from either player's Graveyard to my side of the field! Return, Steelswarm Caucastag!" The giant stag beetle roared upon reappearing on the Knight's field.

**Steelswarm Caucastag ATK: 2800 DEF: 0**

"I Set one card. Battle!" the Knight declared. "Steelswarm Caucastag attacks Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki!" Caucastag flew over and slashed Kageki in two using his claws, turning the samurai into particles.

**SengokuQueen: 4000 – 1100 = 2900 LP**

"I end my turn," the Knight concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" SengokuQueen declared. "I activate the second effect of Gateway of the Six! By removing four Bushido counters, I can add a 'Six Samurai' monster from my deck or Graveyard to my hand! I add Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki from my Graveyard to my hand!" Using Gateway of the Six, SengokuQueen added Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki from her Graveyard back to her hand.

**Gateway of the Six: 4 – 4 = 0**

"Once again, I summon Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki from my hand!" The bronze-armored samurai from before reappeared on SengokuQueen's field.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

"Gateway's effect!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 0 + 2 = 2**

"Kageki's first effect! When it's Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower 'Six Samurai' monster from my hand. Come to me, Kagemusha of the Six Samurai!" A samurai with dark brown armor and shin pads with yellow lines covering his entire body joined SengokuQueen's field. Unlike his brethren, this samurai's mask was a bit taller vertically, and its mask covered his face up to his eyes. Kagemusha cracked his whip, ready for battle.

**Kagemusha of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LVL: 2**

"Gateway's and Kageki's effects activate at the same time!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 2 + 2 = 4**

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 + 1500 = 1700**

"Level 2 Kagemusha of the Six Samurai tunes Level 3 Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki!" SengokuQueen boldly declared. A bolt of crimson lightning struck her as the world greyed out and her two monsters disappeared into particles. Two rings, one brown and one green, appeared before turning blue and merging. Five blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "2 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to "5" as light surged through the rings.

"The legendary samurai brings fear and death to all his enemies!" SengokuQueen chanted. "Soon, your death shall strengthen his power! Synchro Summon! Emerge from the battlefield, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" A samurai with light crimson armor and golden lines covering his entire body emerged from the light and onto the right Main Monster Zone. This samurai had medium-sized wings with golden lines on his back. On each of his shoulders was a curved spike. His helmet had the Bushido symbol on the top, with the samurai mask having a golden outline. His eyes glowed red as he swung his katana, ready for battle.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 DEF: 1400 LVL: 5**

"Gateway's effect activates once again!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 4 + 2 = 6**

"Those monsters aren't strong enough to get past me!" the Knight boasted.

"Not at the moment, but let's see if you say anything after this!" SengokuQueen replied. "I activate my Skill, Bushido Booster!" Several light-green Bushido symbols briefly appeared on SengokuQueen's armor as it glowed red. "I can remove all Bushido counters on the field and target one 'Six Samurai' or 'Shien' monster I control. For each Bushido counter removed, it gains 200 attack points!"

"Seriously?!" the Knight exclaimed.

"That's correct!" SengokuQueen confirmed. "For this Skill, I target Shi En!" The six Bushido counters on Gateway of the Six exited out of the card and went into Shi En's katana, making it glow light-green.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 + (200 X 6) = 3700**

**Gateway of the Six BC: 6 – 6 = 0**

"Battle!" SengokuQueen declared. "Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En attacks Steelswarm Caucastag! Crimson Slash of Death!" Shi En charged forward to try and cut down the giant stag beetle, but...

"You fool! I activate my Trap card, Wall of Disruption!" the Knight suddenly said. "This card-!"

"Will do nothing!" SengokuQueen finished for him, causing the Knight to gasp. "Shi En's effect! Once per turn, during either of our turns, when you activate a Spell or Trap card, I can negate and destroy it! Trembling Terror!" Shi En quickly jumped forward and slashed Wall of Disruption into two, before cutting down Caucastag and destroying the giant stag beetle for good.

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 – 900 = 3100 LP**

"Grandmaster of the Six Samurai attacks you directly!" Grandmaster charged forward and delivered an X-like slash attack to the Knight, causing him to stagger before regaining balance.

**Knight of Hanoi: 3100 – 2100 = 1000 LP**

"I end my turn." SengokuQueen concluded.

"You'll regret that!" the Knight said. "My turn! I activate my Skill, Double Draw! Now instead of drawing one card from my deck, I can draw two cards!" Upon drawing the two cards from his deck, he smirked. "Just like before, since I control no monsters, I get to Special Summon Steelswarm Cell from my hand!" A second small black bug materialized on the Knight's field.

**Steelswarm Cell ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"I now tribute Steelswarm Cell to Tribute Summon Steelswarm Girastag!" An orange-skinned stag beetle with a cannon for a right arm and a suction-like tail appeared on the Knight's field. Girastag also had two-like pincer horns on his head and chest.

**Steelswarm Girastag ATK: 2600 DEF: 0 LVL: 7**

"That's a Level 7 monster!" SengokuQueen stated. "You need two tributes to Tribute Summon that monster!"

"That's not the case for Girastag!" the Knight replied. "Girastag can be Tribute Summoned by tributing one 'Steelswarm' monster. And when it's Tribute Summoned by tributing a 'Steelswarm' monster, I can target one card you control and send it to the Graveyard. By doing this, I gain 1000 life points! For this effect, I target Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" SengokuQueen gritted her teeth as Shi En vanished into particles and the Knight gained life points in the process.

**Knight of Hanoi: 1000 + 1000 = 2000 LP**

"Battle!" the Knight declared. "Steelswarm Girastag attacks Grandmaster of the Six Samurai!" Girastag fired a blast of orange energy from it's cannon arm at Grandmaster, making him also turn into particles.

**SengokuQueen: 2900 – 500 = 2400 LP**

"With that, I end my turn," the Knight concluded.

"If you think I've lost the will to duel just because my ace monster is in the Graveyard, you're wrong!" SengokuQueen said. "My turn! I draw! I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Six Strike – Bloody Assault!" The card showed Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En slashing through enemies as he was consumed with bloodlust. "I can banish one 'Six Samurai' monster in my Graveyard to Special Summon a 'Six Samurai' monster from my Graveyard whose level is equal to the 'Six Samurai' monster I banished! Also, the Special Summoned monster gains attack points equal to the attack points of the banished 'Six Samurai' monster until the end of the turn!"

"Your card can do that?" the Knight asked.

"That's right!" SengokuQueen replied. "I banish Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, whose level is 5, to bring back the level 5 Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" At SengokuQueen's command, Shi En reappeared on her field, only in the Main Monster Zone.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 DEF: 1400 LVL: 5**

"And by banishing Grandmaster, Shi En now gains 2100 attack points until the end of the turn!" SengokuQueen added.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 + 2100 = 4600 **

"Gateway's effect!"

**Gateway of the Six BC: 0 + 2 = 2**

"I activate the first effect of Gateway of the Six! By removing two Bushido counters, a 'Six Samurai' or 'Shien' Effect monster gains 500 attack points until the End Phase! And I choose my ace monster, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" Gateway of the Six glowed light-green, as well as Shi En, powering the samurai up.

**Gateway of the Six BC: 2 – 2 = 0**

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 4600 + 500 = 5100**

"It's time to battle!" SengokuQueen declared. "Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En attacks Steelswarm Girastag! Crimson Slash of Death!" Shi En charged forward and slashed the stag beetle into multiple pieces, destroying the giant insect and causing a huge explosion. As a result, the Knight was sent flying off his duel board, and would have hit the ground had SengokuQueen not fired a light-green net at him, causing him to dangle from her duel board.

**Knight of Hanoi: 2000 – 2500 = 0**

"Please! Let me go!" the Knight begged her.

"If you want to survive this, tell me who's responsible for turning people into Anothers!" SengokuQueen shouted back.

"Okay, okay! It's-!" Unfortunately for SengokuQueen, that was all the information she could get, as the Knight immediately dissolved in the net, surprising her in the process.

"The Hanoi must have planted a fail-safe in the Knights in the event they lose a duel..." SengokuQueen muttered. "I need to create a program that will keep them alive for interrogation." She then noticed the air pressure die down. _Interesting_, she thought. She immediately sped off on her duel board, determined to reunite with the others.

_At Raguel's duel..._

"Raguel, once I defeat you," the Sergeant said, "the Hanoi will be rid of you once and for all!"

"Is that so?" Raguel replied, turning his head to face the Sergeant. "That's what they all say. And hey, I'm still alive and kicking. So unless you make this duel challenging, it's going to be the same result: with you punks hitting the ground!"

"Speed Duel!" Raguel and the Sergeant shouted.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Sergeant of Hanoi: 4000 LP**

"I'll go first," the Sergeant said, waving his hand in front of him to see his cards. _Excellent_, he thought. _Let's see if Raguel can stand against this_. "I activate the Field Spell card, Kozmotown! Then I summon Kozmo Soartroopers from my hand!" A bamboo in black trooper armor carrying a blaster appeared on the Sergeant's field. It's wings were also metallic.

**Kozmo Soartroopers ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"Soartroopers effect! I can banish this card to Special Summon one Level 4 or higher 'Kozmo' monster from my hand! I banish Soartroopers to Special Summon Kozmo Dark Eclipser from my hand!" Soartroopers vanished into particles, which created a portal above the Sergeant's head. Soon, an enormous black spaceship with red-pink veins all over it, along with slanted wings at the back and a command hull emerged from the portal and hovered above the Sergeant.

**Kozmo Dark Eclipser ATK: 3000 DEF: 2600 LVL: 9**

"I activate the Equip Spell card, Mirror Coat!" The card showed Kozmo Dark Destroyer being outfitted with metallic, see-through plating. "A 'Kozmo' Machine monster that's equipped with this card cannot be destroyed by battle, and if it's targeted for an attack, you take damage equal to half of it's original attack points!" Raguel grit his teeth as Dark Eclipser was coated in a mirrorlike shield.

"That ends my turn," the Sergeant concluded. "Good luck getting past this!"

"I don't need luck," Raguel responded. "So long as I have my deck, a purpose, and the will to continue on, I can overcome anything! My turn! I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck and looked at the field using his Duel Disk to see Kozmo Dark Eclipser's information. _I can't target it for card effects_, Raguel thought. _And he can negate Trap cards as long as he has Kozmo monsters in his Graveyard_. While he hated the predicament he was in, he did like a challenge.

"It seems that you're analyzing the field for once." Herald said, as he emerged out of Raguel's Duel Disk.

"Yeah, and this Sergeant summoned a monster that might be stronger than Cracking Dragon." Raguel replied. "Still, there's always a crack in someone's strategy."

"That we can agree on."

Going back to the duel, Raguel said, "First, I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Treasure! This card allows me to draw 2 cards, in exchange for discarding 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand!" Raguel discarded Cyreath Wandering Soul from his hand and drew two cards. "I activate the effect of Cyreath Chiron from my hand! By revealing this card, I can Special Summon it, as well as one 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard! In exchange, I can only attack with 'Cyreath' Link monsters this turn! And the monster I choose to bring back is Cyreath Wandering Soul!" A misty illusion of a man with mist running through his body appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wandering Soul ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

Then a creature with the upper body of a man and the lower body and legs of a horse joined his Cyreath comrade. He had long brown hair tied into a ponytail at the end, along with green eyes. He also wore an archaic style of dress with leather armor being clad onto it. He strung his bow at SengokuQueen.

**Cyreath Chiron ATK: 2100 DEF: 1600 LVL: 6**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Wandering Soul and Cyreath Chiron in the Link Markers!" Chiron went into the bottom arrowhead, while Wandering Soul went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 2! Cyreath Laelaps!" A white-colored dog with orange spots throughout his body was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone of Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Laelaps ATK: 1000 LINK-2** ⬇️↘️

"I activate the effect of Wandering Soul from my Graveyard!" Raguel continued as he thrust out his right hand. "By banishing it, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field and was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Laelaps was pointing to.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel shouted, as a second Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Laelaps, which is a Link 2 monster, and the Cyreath Wanderer token in the Link Markers!" Laelaps split into two and went into the top-left and top-right arrowheads, turning them red. Meanwhile, the Cyreath Wanderer token went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"Laelaps' effect! Since it was used to Link Summon a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, all monsters you control lose 1000 attack points until the End Phase!" A silhouette of Laelaps appeared as the dog sped forward, jumped onto the ship, and bit deep into the ship, ripping out circuitry and damaging it's systems in the process.

**Kozmo Dark Eclipser ATK: 3000 – 1000 = 2000**

"Hercules' effect!" Raguel added. "Monsters this card points to lose 500 attack points! Nemean Roar!" Hercules let out a massive roar, which hi Dark Eclipser and caused the massive spaceship to steer off course before regaining control.

**Kozmo Dark Eclipser ATK: 2000 – 500 = 1500**

"Your moves are useless!" the Sergeant interrupted. "Because of them, you can only attack with Link Monsters. And in case you forgot, thanks to my Mirror Coat, my monster will survive, and you'll take damage equal to half of it's original attack points!"

"That's why I'll defeat you in one turn." Raguel replied as he narrowed his eyes at the Sergeant, making him gasp in surprise. "I summon Cyreath Nymph!" A blue-skinned, four winged creature with two stubby legs and a small beak, along with a spiked tail, appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Nymph ATK: 1500 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4**

"If Nymph is Normal or Special Summoned while I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster," Raguel explained, "I can destroy one Spell or Trap card on your field. And I choose Mirror Coat!" The Sergeant gasped as Nymph flapped its wings, generating a small windstorm that blew Mirror Coat off the field, turning it into particles in the process.

"From there, I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Empowerment! By tributing 1 'Cyreath' monster, another 'Cyreath' monster has its attack and defense points doubled until the end of the turn! I'll tribute Nymph, so I can double Hercules' strength!" Nymph vanished into particles, which were absorbed into Hercules as he increased his strength.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 + 2500 = 5000**

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Hercules attacks Kozmo Dark Eclipser! Nemean Strike!" Hercules jumped onto Dark Eclipser, punching the ship and causing massive damage. He then ran forward to the command hull, jumped, and pulled his right hand back before smashing it right off the ship. By the time he landed on the ground, Dark Eclipser suffered so much damage that it exploded, causing the Sergeant to stagger to try and maintain control of his duel board.

**Sergeant of Hanoi: 4000 – 3500 = 500 **

"How dare you!" the Sergeant exclaimed. "I activate Dark Eclipser's-!"

"There's no point activating your monster's ability if you don't have any life points left!" Raguel suddenly said. "Hercules' second effect! If it destroys a monster whose attack points are different from its original attack points, you take damage equal to half the destroyed monsters original attack points! Nemean Rage!" Hercules turned around at the Sergeant, not completely finished with his task. Seeing this, the Sergeant tried to speed up to get away, but Hercules jumped forward and punched him so hard he was sent flying off his duel board and straight to the ground below.

**Sergeant of Hanoi: 500 – 1500 = 0**

"Damn you..." the Sergeant muttered as he tried to get up. However, Raguel quickly leapt from his duel board to where the Sergeant was and grabbed him by the collar.

"Tell me where Revolver, Infearno, and Dancho are!" Raguel demanded.

"Like I'm talking!" the Sergeant said back.

"Leave this to me, Raguel!" Herald suddenly said, as he turned into his hydra form and roared at the Sergeant, scaring him. "Answer his question NOW!"

"Okay, okay! They're at-AAH!" Raguel and Herald gasped in surprise as the Sergeant dissolved into black data, which reduced him until there was nothing left. In the Hanoi Stronghold, Infearno scowled at the monitor. He was starting to get annoyed at purging those idiots.

"Damn..." Raguel muttered, as Herald reverted back to his original form. "Guess the Hanoi had a contingency in place to prevent anyone from talking."

"Which will make it harder to find them." Herald agreed with him.

"I know." Raguel looked up and was surprised at what he was seeing. "The dome's gone." He then put his right hand on his earpiece. "Roxy, did Go win his duel against Dr. Genome?"

"Yup!" Roxy confirmed as she saw the news. "Playmaker showed up too. And after he did, Go summoned a new Link 4 monster: Gouki the Master Ogre."

"The Master Ogre?" Raguel repeated. He narrowed his eyes. "Alright. Send me Go's location. And if Playmaker's there, I need to talk to him as well."

"Got it." After receiving Go's coordinates from Roxy, Raguel got back on his duel board and headed towards Go's location.

_Elsewhere, in LINK VRAINS, following Go's duel..._

"Now where's that antidote?" Go muttered as he leaned over Dr. Genome and reached into his jacket. Within moments, he pulled out a glowing green card. "This better work. Don't you be pulling a fast one on me, understand?"

"Despite what you may think," Dr. Genome said, "I am a man of honor." He turned to face Go. "As are the rest of the Knights of Hanoi."

"You want to tell me where the honor is in deleting folks and destroying lives?" Go rebutted back. "You Hanoi are the true heels of this arena!"

Hearing this, Dr. Genome chuckled. "Though you've claimed to have evolved, your comprehension hasn't evolved at all." After saying that, his body turned black and broke into pieces of data. Just like the others before him, he too had been purged.

In the Hanoi Stronghold, Infearno bowed his head upon seeing Dr. Genome get purged on the monitor. _Genome_, he thought. _Your sacrifice won't go to waste. After we obtain the Ignis from Playmaker, all of us will bring you back. Back to a world without the Ignis_. He then looked at four other monitors, which showed the duels against Numera, Stregone, SengokuQueen, and Raguel. Clicking onto Raguel's first, he noticed something come out of his Duel Disk during his attempted investigation on the Sergeant. _No AI can turn into a creature like that_, he pondered. Widening his eyes in realization, he replayed the moment when the AI turned into the creature in slow motion. Pressing the pause button, he saw a shape that was very familiar. _So you have one too, Raguel_. He smirked. Now that Raguel had an Ignis, the stakes were higher than he ever anticipated. _I look forward to our next duel, Raguel. One where you will lose, both physically and mentally_.

Go stood in the intersection of the street, while Playmaker stood behind him. Both looked up as Stregone jumped from his duel board and onto the ground.

"Everything alright, Go?" Stregone asked, as he ran over to Go. "I saw an explosion, and-."

Go put a hand on Stregone's shoulder. "I won. I got the antidote." Hearing this made Stregone sigh in relief.

"Great to hear." He turned to Playmaker. "So you're Playmaker," he said, walking up to him and offering a hand. "I'm Stregone." In response, Playmaker looked at it with a deadpan look.

"What Playmaker meant was that it's nice to meet you sir!" Ai said, emerging out of Playmaker's Duel Disk and giving Stregone a scare.

"There you guys are!" Raguel shouted out of nowhere. Everyone looked up as Raguel landed his duel board at their location. "Happy to see you've won, Go."

"Thank you." Go responded, nodding at Raguel in the process. He turned to Playmaker. "Hey, Playmaker. Did you really come here to watch me lose? Or was it some reverse psychology stuff a manager would pull on me?"

Raguel couldn't help but roll his eyes as Stregone tried to calm Go down. _Seriously_, he thought. _You came all this way just to watch Go lose? Come on, Fujiki. You can do much better than that_.

"Does it matter?" Playmaker calmly responded.

"What exactly are you thinking? Of course it matters!" Go shouted back. "Because taking it one way means we've got a problem. But taking it the other way, we can work together and take care of a problem called Hanoi!"

"Mr. Onizuka makes a good point, Playmaker." Out of nowhere, Final Sigma landed on the ground, carrying Numera in his right hand. Except for Raguel, everyone was startled by Final Sigma's appearance as Numera hopped to the ground, the massive robot turning into particles in the process. "If we were to coordinate our efforts, taking out the Hanoi will be done in a faster, more efficient rate."

"What the-? What the-?" was all Go could say, as he was still too freaked out by Final Sigma's sudden appearance.

"That's a Cyberse monster, isn't it?" Playmaker said, as he walked towards Numera. "How did you get it?"

"Yeah!" Ai added, crossing his arms. "How did a little girl like you get those cards?"

"I don't think I'll answer that question to an Ignis like _you_." Numera replied, shocking Playmaker and Ai in the process. Before Playmaker could ask any more questions, SengokuQueen jumped down from a nearby building and joined the group.

"The Hanoi!" she said. "They got a purge program in all the troops. To stop them from talking."

"The same thing happened to me." Stregone said, with Numera and Raguel nodding in agreement.

"I agree with what all of you are saying," Raguel said as he looked at Go, Playmaker, Numera, Stregone, and SengokuQueen. "If we share information with one another and plan efficiently, we can stop the Hanoi from attacking anymore people." Turning to SengokuQueen, he said, "I understand you have a contract on Playmaker and me for our Ignis's. But until then, it's best that we put aside any differences we have for each other and work against our common enemy. The Hanoi."

"Not a bad pep talk," Stregone commented. "Not bad at all."

Go then turned to his left. "What about you, Blue Angel? You up for taking down the Hanoi?" he asked. Everyone turned to look as Blue Angel turned the corner, a serious expression on her face. Looking at Raguel, she gave a small smile. He didn't change his expression as Playmaker turned around. They were all ready. Ready to throw down against the Hanoi.

**Card Gallery**

_Hack Turtle (LVL: 4/Machine/Dark/ATK: 0/DEF: 1500) _

_Effect: If you control a DARK Machine monster: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. When this card is Special Summoned by its own effect: You can add 1 DARK Machine monster from your deck to your hand._

_Crack Roar (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: When your opponent's monster attacks a 'Cracking Dragon' you control: You can reduce that monster's ATK to 0 until the End Phase._

_Mirror Coat (Equip Spell card)_

_Effect: Equip only to a 'Kozmo' Machine monster you control. While this card is equipped to a 'Kozmo' Machine monster you control, the equipped monster cannot be destroyed by battle; also, if it's targeted for an attack, inflict damage to your opponent equal to half of its original ATK._

_Six Strike – Bloody Assault (Quick-Play Spell card)_

_Effect: Target 1 'Six Samurai' monster in your GY; banish 1 'Six Samurai' monster whose level is equal to the targeted 'Six Samurai' monsters level, and if you do, Special Summon it from your GY, and if you do that, the 'Six Samurai' monster Special Summoned gains ATK equal to the monster banished by this effect until the End Phase. _

_Cyreath Nymph (LVL: 4/Cyberse/Wind/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1500)_

_Effect: When this card is Normal or Special Summoned while you control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster: You can destroy 1 Spell or Trap card your opponent controls._

_Cyreath Laelaps (LR: 2/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 1200/_⬇️↘️_)_

_Effect: 2 'Cyreath' monsters. When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the GY: You can draw 1 card. If this card is used for the Link Summon of a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, all monsters your opponent controls lose 1000 ATK until the End Phase._

**QOTC**

_What is one duel you want to see in this story?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 14: Unhappy Beginnings. In an effort to help Aoi find a reason to duel again, Yuhiro takes her to the place where he grew up: The Den City Shelter. There, Aoi learns the truth about how Yuhiro came to the shelter from the manager, who's known him for a long time..._

**Responses to Reviews and Authors Notes**

Thank you to And then the Sky, yuman28, Unnamed, Noobmaster, Unknown, Anonymous, HunterHQ, Guest, Unknown, Divadix999, Tragedy, and Guest for reviewing Chapter 12 of Obscured Truth.

Before I begin, I just want to thank everyone for their patience in waiting for this chapter to be released. The reason why it took so long was because I underestimated how long each of the four duels would be. It was also my first time writing a duel for the Danger! and Steelswarm archetypes, so I hope you enjoyed seeing them in action. If you have any tips or combos for them, I would appreciate them anytime. With that out of the way, let's talk about what happened before going to reviews.

The main thing that happened here was Go's duel against Dr. Genome. While that was happening, Raguel and Stregone were ambushed by a group of Knights led by a Sergeant, only for Numera and SengokuQueen to arrive and lend a helping help.

This led to four duels happening as a result. Following those duels, the group agrees to work together against the Hanoi.

Before I go to reviews, I want to make a small announcement. The next chapter won't be released next week, as I have a midterm and project coming up, which takes priority. However, the good news is that, if everything goes well, I'll be able to release Chapter 14 before the Family Day weekend and Chapter 15 afterwards. This is because I got a whole week off following Family Day Weekend before going back to school for the second half of the semester.

I also want to advertise a story for any ARC-V fans reading this story. It's called Pendulum of Hope, written by Gentyman. Basically, the story is a What If? Story, where Yuto is the main protagonist instead of Yuya. I encourage you to read it, as it's quite interesting.

Anyhow, let's get to the reviews.

And then the Sky: From what you're saying, I do understand your concern regarding links. Rest assured that they will disappear over time, especially once Season 2 rolls around. I'm glad that you like the new OC characters that recently appeared. Stay tuned, as they'll have character development throughout the story.

Yuman28: Glad that you liked the chapter. Don't worry, you'll see more of Stregone as the story goes on. I put the joke regarding the secretary in, hoping people would see it. I'm glad you found it funny.

Unnamed: Yes, Stregone will use Supreme Arcanite Magician. I hope you liked seeing the Danger! archetype appearing in this chapter for the first time.

Noobmaster: Assault Mode monsters are indeed splashable in decks that can use them. I have one planned to appear in Season 2, that's what I'll tell you.

Unknown: What I'll tell you is this: Unless I change my mind for a specific card, all cards will have their anime effects. If I answer your question, then I'd be spoiling my plans for future seasons to come.

Anonymous: If you're curious as to what Watchman will do, you'll have to keep on reading to find out.

HunterHQ: Progleo's acting like a dog at the moment because of the program he ate (it was mentioned in Chapter 10 that Roxy snuck it in his mini cheeseburger). Don't worry, you'll see him acquire traits from other animals as the story goes on. I do have a plan for Ai and Herald to chat again soon, so rest assured. Also, Dancho has indeed fallen from his path of honor, which makes him one of the key characters in the Another Arc. And to answer your question, Specter and Infearno were debating on whether to utilize Assault Mode Activate and Synchro monsters in the fight against Playmaker.

Guest: Looking at your reviews, I had Stregone use Timegazer and Stargazer to show that he was a Charisma Duelist. One that is like a magician. And to answer your question, all I'll say is this: The Sky's the limit.

Unknown: Herald said that he, the 8th Ignis, and Cyberse monsters escaped thanks to Watchman. As to what the 8th Ignis is doing, you'll have to keep on reading. Also, Herald was sealed in Yuhiro's pendant by Watchman to keep him safe until the time was right.

Divadix999: Be patient, my friend. All your questions will be answered as the story goes on.

Tragedy: Yes, Miyu was put into a coma by Lightning. But the one she's in right now was because of what she experienced when she was young (her first coma. If you're curious, read Chapter 4).

Guest: Don't worry. I'll address that when the time comes.

Please let me know what your thoughts were about this chapter. Also, if you have questions, opinions, or concerns, put them down in your reviews as well. If you know anyone who might enjoy the story, then I encourage you to spread the word about it. I also encourage you to follow and like the story so that you'll receive notifications on when I'll update the next chapter. As always, constructive criticism is welcome because it helps for improvement. See you next time!


	14. Chapter 14: Unhappy Beginnings

**Chapter 14: Unhappy Beginnings**

_The next morning, at Café Matsuo..._

"Oi, Yuhiro! Get your butt down here quick!"

Upon hearing Roxy's voice, Yuhiro quickly got up from his bed and rushed downstairs, only for him to trip and fall down the rest of the way.

"Ouch!" Yuhiro shouted, as he slowly got up and headed for the kitchen part of the second floor. "This better be important, Roxy. Otherwise-."

What Yuhiro saw next surprised even him. He saw Progleo tangled in yarn, rolling around as he was trying to get out of the predicament he was in. Roxy, who was looking at Progleo, was sitting down at the table, watching with curiosity.

"When did this start happening?" Yuhiro asked Roxy as he sat down in the chair opposite to her.

"Just this morning." Roxy answered him. "I was sewing some clothing when Progleo went into my sewing basket and started playing with a ball of yarn." She rolled her eyes. "I ignored it for a few minutes until I realized that dogs don't play with yarn. Cats do."

"Obviously." Yuhiro went over to where Progleo was and untangled the yarn that was constricting his movements. Once that was done, Progleo went over and gave him a small lick to the cheek, which Yuhiro appreciated.

"Why were you playing with that ball of yarn, Progleo?" Yuhiro asked as he rubbed Progleo's fur.

"Not sure." Progleo replied, turning to the sewing basket. "I guess you could say I was curious as to what was in that basket. And when I looked inside, there was a part of me that wanted to play with the yarn."

"I see." Yuhiro headed for the fridge, grabbed a few pieces of ice, and gave them to Progleo so he could distract him. Afterwards, he grabbed his usual breakfast before sitting down once again. "Do you think the program Progleo ate is giving him strange side effects?" Yuhiro asked as he took a bite of his banana.

"Probably. It would be a good idea to ask Herald. He knows a bit more about this stuff than you and I." Roxy replied as she continued sewing. "With that out of the way, you know what today is, right?"

Yuhiro couldn't help but smile. "It will be good to see everyone, that's for sure." He thought for a minute before continuing. "You know, I was actually thinking of bringing someone as well."

"Who?" Roxy asked, putting down what she was sewing and now paying attention to Yuhiro.

"Aoi Zaizen." Roxy couldn't help but smirk upon hearing that.

"I gotta say, Yuhiro. I'm proud that you're finally moving out of your comfort zone and starting to let other people into your life."

"It's not like that," Yuhiro replied, getting Roxy's attention once again. "Yesterday, when we made a temporary alliance to fight against the Hanoi, I saw Blue Angel in LINK VRAINS. It looked like she was going to join, but then she walked away. I want to help her find a reason to duel again."

"Regardless," Roxy said, pointing her sewing needle at him, "you're willing to help others. You may deny it now, but whether you like it or not, you're letting people into your life."

"There's something else." Yuhiro said, as he looked at the table, away from his food. Noticing that something was up, Roxy dropped her cheerful attitude.

"What is it?" she asked, hoping she can help make him feel better.

"It's probably best I don't talk about it." Yuhiro got up from his chair and started walking away when Roxy stood up.

"Come on, Yuhiro. You can't hide it from me forever. Please tell me what's on your mind." Roxy said.

Yuhiro turned his head to face Roxy. "Aoi knows I'm Raguel." For several moments, Roxy was frozen in place. She then stepped forward to Yuhiro and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Tell me that's not true," she pleaded, looking him in the eyes. "Tell me that it isn't true." Yuhiro said nothing in response, which confirmed to her that what he was saying was true. "How the hell did she know?"

"There are three reasons Aoi was able to figure out my identity." Yuhiro answered. He looked at Roxy in the eyes to make sure she was paying attention. "One: When I met Watchman, she used a butterfly avatar to overhear my conversation with him. She must have heard him say my real name before it got terminated. Two: As Blue Angel, she heard about the Lost Incident when Playmaker and I infiltrated the mother computer in SOL Technologies. She also witnessed me losing control of my powers momentarily. Three: When she brought up the Lost Incident, I experienced an anxiety attack. These three factors were how Aoi was able to figure out my identity as Raguel."

Roxy let go of Yuhiro's shoulders and covered her mouth. "My God, why didn't you tell me about the anxiety attack sooner? I thought they were..."

"Gone?" Yuhiro finished for her. "I thought so too. But like the nightmares, they never seem to go away." He was about to head upstairs when Roxy stopped him.

"I'm not upset with what happened or how Aoi learned about your identity." Roxy said, getting Yuhiro's attention. "I'm just worried for her, that's all. If Aoi's going to get involved in all of this, then I do agree with your plan on taking her to the place you grew up."

Yuhiro turned around to face Roxy. "I'm worried for her too. But just as a friend," he quickly added before Roxy could say something and make him look foolish.

"I got you back to your usual mood, didn't I?" Roxy asked as Yuhiro headed upstairs to get his things for school. "Come on. Admit it, Mr. Grumpypants!"

"What was that all about?" Roxy jumped upon seeing Progleo beside her.

"I was just talking with Yuhiro, that's all." Roxy replied, as she knelt down to pick up the cub. "The kids are going to like you, today, that's for sure."

_At Den Academy..._

School was starting to become Yuhiro's most boring part of the day. While it wasn't his favorite, it was better before Rachel Miyake and Gekiryushi Sanada joined the class. Gekiryushi was a good person to chat with, but whenever he walked through the halls, he felt that she was watching him. Whether it was out of curiosity or not, Yuhiro couldn't figure it out.

Then there was Rachel Miyake. Apparently, she thought he was "interesting" and kept asking him questions; about the school, the people he knew, and about himself. He was willing to answer the questions about school, referred her questions about the people he knew to those said people, and not answer the questions about himself.

To her credit though, Rachel wasn't pushy. If Yuhiro said he didn't want to talk about something, she respected him enough to drop the subject. She also didn't talk during class, which he appreciated.

What most annoyed him though, was that Rachel kept following him around wherever he went. At first, Yuhiro didn't mind. She was young and needed someone to talk to, at least for a while. Yuhiro had hoped that, over time, Rachel would find a club she liked and join it, which would help her make friends. Unfortunately for him, this wasn't the case. She ended up spending time with him outside of class, thus annoying him to no end. For someone who needed his personal space, this was indeed frustrating.

"I'm disappointed in you, Furutani." He looked up from his tablet as Rachel said that, a small frown on her face as she went back to looking at her own tablet. The two of them were sitting in the library, completing their Statistics homework for the week.

"What exactly are you disappointed in?" he asked, not really caring, but participating in the conversation anyway.

"I asked you a lot of questions about yourself," she said. "But you haven't asked me a single question about myself yet. How come?"

"It's simple. I don't care," he said bluntly. "I thought that me answering a few of your questions made it obvious."

Rachel put down her tablet and smirked at Yuhiro. "If you didn't care," she said in an amused tone, "then you would have told me to go away. How come?"

"Because that would be rude," he responded. "And besides, a friend wants me to interact with other people. So here I am, talking to you."

"So you do have friends," Rachel said. "I'm happy for you. Everyone should have at least one or two people they can trust unconditionally. Everyone should also be willing to accept others despite what they've been through."

Yuhiro looked up at her upon hearing that last part. Her face was sad, but he wasn't sure whether she meant it or if it was an act.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked. "Did something ha-?"

"Excuse me, Furutani?"

Rachel and Yuhiro turned towards the sound of a voice. It was Aoi Zaizen, holding a book.

"Yes? What's up, Zaizen?"

"There's a problem I need your help with."

Yuhiro thought about saying no, but decided to help. After all, he needed to talk to Aoi, and wanted to know if she was available to go to the Shelter with him later today.

"Excuse me," he said to Rachel, who smiled at them.

"Have fun, you two!" Rachel called out as they walked over to a different table.

"What problem are you stuck on?" Yuhiro asked Aoi.

"Problem #36." Aoi replied, pointing to it. "Can you help me solve this problem using the three different methods?"

He looked at Question #36, then to his notes. He already finished solving the problem, so it would be good practice for him.

Before he got started, Aoi spoke up. "I'm sorry about what I said on the sidewalk the other day."

Yuhiro glanced at her before speaking. "I'm the one who should be sorry," he said, surprising Aoi. "Regarding what I said the other day, I completely overreacted. I just didn't expect you to know about the Lost Incident. That's all."

Aoi was quiet for a few moments before responding. "I... didn't expect you to say that, Furutani. I thought you would be mad for what I did."

Yuhiro put down his tablet and sighed. "I was. At first. The reason why was because if anyone knew the truth about me, they would be in danger. I know it's stupid, but except for those who were in the Incident, I don't want to risk anymore lives. Not after what happened to you."

Aoi was touched, if not for a brief moment. Yuhiro actually cared for someone? It would make sense, considering he was Raguel. After all, following their duel, he implied that he did it for someone important to him. She gave a small smile. "Thank you. For telling me this."

"No prob." He then checked his watch before continuing. "Say, Zaizen. Considering how you know the truth about me, there's a question I wanted to ask you."

Aoi, who was curious, leaned in so she could hear what Yuhiro had to say.

"After school, do you want to come with me to the Den City Shelter where I grew up?" he whispered in her ear.

This completely caught Aoi off guard, who didn't know what to say. _Did he just say he grew up at the Den City Shelter_, she thought.

"If there's one thing you don't know about me, it's that I grew up there. I'm going with my friend today to help out, so I wanted to know if you could come along."

Aoi thought for a minute on what to say regarding what she just learned about Yuhiro. _I already know Yuhiro is Raguel_, she thought. _But perhaps if I go with him, I could learn more about his past. Who knows, I may even learn what inspired him to become Raguel in the first place_.

"All right," she finally said. "I have an appointment with one of my teachers later. But I should be able to come."

"Great." Yuhiro took out a slip of paper and scribbled down an address before giving it to Aoi. "This is where we're going to meet before we go. Oh, and I know how protective your brother can be. If he asks, tell him that Roxanne Matsuo is leading the trip. It should ease his mind."

After Aoi looked at the slip of paper, she nodded. "Okay. Thanks for letting me know."

"Oh? What's this the two of you are planning? A date, perhaps?" When Yuhiro and Aoi turned to the sound of the voice and saw Rachel behind them, they gasped in surprise.

"How long were you behind us? And how much of our conversation were you listening to?" Yuhiro blurted out, who was clearly embarrassed.

"Just the last bit, when you asked Zaizen out." Rachel replied. She giggled and turned to Aoi. "You should be lucky, Zaizen. The two of you make a cute couple." Upon hearing that, Yuhiro and Aoi ended up blushing.

"THAT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!" they both said to Rachel at the same time, who only giggled at their reaction.

Satisfied that she was able to have some fun, she headed towards the entrance to the library, but not before shouting back, "Have fun on your date!"

"Miyake!" Yuhiro and Aoi said at the same time once again.

_Hours later..._

_Café Matsuo_, Aoi thought, as she headed for the fast-food restaurant Yuhiro wanted her to go to after school. She was familiar with the place because Akira went there many times, and would always get two burgers: a blue cheeseburger and a 6-ounce. But she had to admit, it was her first time going there herself. _I hope the place is as good as Akira told me_, she thought.

It then occurred to her that she hadn't told Akira of what she was doing after school today. So she turned on her phone and dialed Akira's number on FaceTime, who answered on the second ring. Unfortunately for her, after she told him of her plans for the rest of the day, he wasn't too happy.

"Aoi, couldn't you have told me this sooner?" the voice of Akira said through her phone, showing concern. "Would you like me to send Isomaki to drive you over?"

"It's fine, Akira." Aoi assured him. "The drive to the Den City Shelter is ten minutes from the school. We'll be taking a car there."

"A car? Are you planning on taking a taxi there?" Akira immediately asked, causing Aoi to curse in her mind for the error she made. "Do you have enough money? What if the driver plans on kidnapping you?"

"Akira, I do have enough money." Aoi calmly stated. "And besides, I'm not going alone, remember?"

"Alright. Thank you for telling me this, Aoi." Akira said. "By the way, who else is going with you?"

"A boy named Yuhiro Furutani. And the organizer of the trip: Roxanne Matsuo." _Please work, please work_, Aoi thought as Akira gathered his thoughts before responding.

"Roxanne Matsuo... Oh yes! I remember her!" Akira recalled. "She's a very nice woman. I remember a few years ago that she was responsible for getting a man named Travis arrested for abusing his former girlfriend. As long as she's going, then I can most certainly calm down. Tell her I say hi, will you?"

The comment ended up putting a sly smile on Aoi's lips as she stared at her phone. "I will, Akira. And is it me, or are you developing a crush on her?"

Akira couldn't help but laugh. "I don't have time for dating. And I got a baby sister to take care of." He sighed before continuing. "Aoi, promise me you'll stay safe? After all, you're important to me."

"Of course..." Aoi whispered, surprised by what she heard. "See you tonight, Akira."

With that, the call ended. Aoi stared at the phone in her hand for a brief moment before realizing that she was close to her destination. A building with the sign 'Café Matsuo' on it. As she approached the building, she saw a woman taking a person's order. This woman had black, wavy, waist-length hair tied in a ponytail, with a hairband on it. She wore blue denim jeans and a dark yellow shirt with an apron on it, as well as black-trimmed glasses. _That must be Roxanne Matsuo_, Aoi thought as she approached the woman, who was typing something on her tablet.

"Excuse me?" Aoi asked, getting Roxy's attention.

"Oh! I didn't notice you there!" Roxy immediately grabbed a pen and paper. When she looked at Aoi, she dropped both of them within seconds of picking them up. "Wait a minute. You're Aoi Zaizen, right?"

"Yes." Aoi confirmed. "How do you know?"

"Your brother used to stop by to pick up burgers for board meetings." Roxy replied. "Also, Yuhiro told me that you were coming by. Tell you what: I'll take your order, and let him know that you're here. As soon as you're done eating, we'll head on out. Sound good with you?"

"That would be very nice. Thank you." Aoi said, with a slight bow.

After the brief conversation, Aoi ordered a 6-ounce burger with cheese, lettuce, and pickles from Roxy. Once she paid for her order, she headed over to one of the picnic tables to wait for her order, while Roxy went to the back to inform Yuhiro of Aoi's arrival. A few minutes later, he went outside to the picnic table where Aoi was. And beside him was none other than Progleo.

"I was wondering when you would arrive." Yuhiro said. Turning to Progleo, he said, "I believe you remember my dog, Leo?"

"Of course I do," Aoi said, kneeling down to look at the cub. "Come here, Leo." Immediately, Progleo headed towards Aoi, happy to see her once again. Aoi ended up giving him belly-rubs, which he liked very much. "Do you plan on bringing him to the shelter?"

"Roxy insisted on it." Yuhiro replied, as he knelt down and pat Progleo on the head. "It would be a good idea for him to meet people other than Roxy and me, don't you think?"

"It's not a bad idea." Aoi said, looking up at Yuhiro. "But do you think that-?" Before she could finish her question, Roxy arrived and brought a tray, with the burger and fries that was ordered earlier.

"Here you go, Miss Zaizen." Roxy said. "One 6-ounce burger with cheese, lettuce, and pickles, as well as a side of fries."

Upon hearing that, Aoi got up and sat down in one of the chairs at the picnic table. "Thank you very much, Ms. Matsuo."

Roxy couldn't help but snort. "Please, call me Roxy." Turning to Yuhiro, she said, "I'll load the things in the trunk. Keep Aoi company until I call the both of you over."

As she started walking away, Yuhiro said, "You sure you don't want any help?"

"Yes! I'm totally sure. After all, I don't want you damaging the equipment." Roxy called back as she headed to the van.

Yuhiro took the seat opposite to Aoi as she started eating her meal. "There she goes. She may be a pain in the ass, but deep down, she cares just like any mother would."

"A mother?" Aoi wondered as she bit into her burger. "You mean-?"

"Yeah. She adopted me." Yuhiro confirmed, turning to face Aoi. "About five years after I was brought to the Den City Shelter. At first, it was rough, but I learned to get used to it over time. Now living with her isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"I didn't know the two of you were close." Aoi said as she took another bite into her burger.

"Me neither." Yuhiro agreed with her. Before either of them could say anything else, their attention was directed to Roxy's voice.

"Hey, you guys! The van is all packed up! The sooner we head on out, the better!"

"Coming!" Yuhiro said as he got up from his seat. Turning to Aoi, he asked, "You ready to go?"

_Ten minutes later..._

The drive to the Den City Shelter ended up to be just like what Aoi predicted: ten minutes. Except for Progleo, everyone was silent for the drive there. After Roxy found a parking spot, the group walked to the Den City Shelter, where upon arrival, they found children playing near the entrance. One of the kids, a small boy, widened his eyes in realization upon seeing Yuhiro approach the building.

Turning to the other kids, he said, "Look everyone! Yuhiro's here!" Immediately, there were shouts of "Yuhiro!" from the other kids, as they headed towards him.

"I haven't seen you guys in a while!" Yuhiro said, as the children gathered around him. "And guess what? I brought a puppy!" Yuhiro gestured to Progleo to go forward and meet the children. Nervous, the cub took a few steps towards them, who greeted him with love.

"He's so cute!"

"I love him!"

"He's the best!"

This was said by many of the kids as they played with Progleo. Aoi couldn't help but chuckle at the kids welcoming the cub as one of their own and playing with him. She remembered of how she welcomed Akira as a little kid. Aoi would greet Akira with a smile, causing Akira to chuckle as he pat her head.

"Yo! Think fast!" a voice said as a basketball came out of nowhere towards Yuhiro. Before Aoi could warn him, he turned to where the basketball was coming from and grabbed it with his left hand. Yuhiro then dribbled it in front of him a few times before having the ball go through his legs and to his right arm and back.

"Miles Shilton," Yuhiro said, calling out to him. "I told you. You gotta think fast to be fast if you want to catch me by surprise." Miles, a dark-skinned 14-year boy, appeared in his sight as he received the basketball back. He wore a red hoodie with a black shirt underneath along with jeans. He also had average-length black hair with thick eyebrows as well.

"I know man. But I seriously thought I'd get you this time." Miles said as he pulled Yuhiro in for a bro hug. "How've you been, man? It's been a while since we last saw each other."

"Everything's good these days." Yuhiro replied, as he pulled away from the bro hug. "And you're right. It has been a while."

"Obviously. We've so much to catch up on!" Miles said, before noticing Aoi. "Oh. Didn't notice you brought a friend with you. I'm Miles. Miles Shilton." He extended his hand.

"I'm Aoi Zaizen." Aoi said, taking Miles' hand and shaking it. "You know Furutani?"

"That's right!" Miles confirmed. "Yuhiro and I have known each other for a few years now." Turning to Yuhiro, he said, "Man. Do you know how long it's been since you last came?"

"Dunno. A few months?" Yuhiro replied, turning his head to Roxy behind him, who smiled and waved back at the group.

"Well, obviously!" Miles crossed his arms, as though he were offended. "Dude, it's not just the kids who missed you, but everyone here as well."

"Miles is right, you know," a new voice said. "The children weren't the only ones who missed you." When everyone turned to the source of the voice, they saw a man walking out of the entrance to the shelter and towards the group. The man wore a light-blue and green buttoned up shirt, with slacks. He also had middle-length brown hair that was combed back, along with a freshly trimmed beard and mustache. His green eyes surveyed the area until he found Yuhiro.

"Of course they weren't," Yuhiro said, walking towards the man and letting himself get pulled in by one of his hugs. "I missed you, Quinton."

"I know, Yuhiro," Quinton said back. The moment, however, was interrupted by an "Ahem!" from Roxy. Quinton, who heard that, couldn't help but smirk as he walked towards her and shook her hand. "Don't worry, Roxy. I haven't forgotten about you." He then turned his head towards Aoi. "And who is this?"

"Zaizen. I'm Aoi Zaizen," Aoi said, bowing a little.

"There's no need to do that," Quinton said, laughing at the unexpected gesture. "My name is Quinton Monell, and I'm the man in charge of this place. It's quite rare to have guests here, especially," he gestured towards Yuhiro, "if it's Yuhiro the one bringing them here, a wonderful young lady at that."

He then proceeded to elbow Yuhiro's right arm a few times, causing him to roll his eyes.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Quinton asked. "Are you not going to help your lady friend feel at ease? As we speak, her face is turning as red as a cherry."

Sure enough, Aoi's cheeks were bright red. While she did act nervous at times, it was surprising to her that someone was able to figure it out _very_ quickly.

"Ha! You just got lectured, Yuhiro!" Miles said, which caused the kids to laugh. However, Quinton silenced them right away by putting a finger to his lips.

"With that out of the way, why don't we all go inside now?" Quinton gestured everyone to head inside of the shelter.

"This way, Aoi." Roxy said to Aoi, who nodded as she followed everyone inside.

"You and Roxy will be able to get the mini BBQ going for the residents, correct?" Quinton asked Yuhiro.

"Don't worry, Quinton. It isn't my first time." Yuhiro responded. "We also brought more variety for any of the senior residents that don't like steak."

"I'm sorry. I don't think I'm the best when it comes to making burgers." Aoi pointed out to Quinton, who smiled.

"Don't be. You can help me out with something else." Turning to Miles, he said, "Could you go help Roxy and Yuhiro with burger prep?"

"Leave it to me!" Miles said, as Quinton and Aoi left the group and headed towards the kitchen.

"So, Ms. Blue Angel," Quinton said, as he opened the door to the fridge. "What brings you here to the shelter, exactly?"

Aoi's face widened in surprise upon hearing him call her that. "How did...How did-?"

"Before you say anything, no. I don't plan on revealing your identity." Quinton said as he carried out a load of juice boxes and put them on a nearby table. "As for how I figured it out, let's just say a magician never reveals his tricks."

"A magician?" Aoi wondered. It then hit her. No wonder this man looked so familiar. "You're Stregone, aren't you?"

"The one and only," he confirmed as he headed back to the fridge to find more juice boxes. Pointing to the pantry, he added, "There are some baked goods in the pantry. I have my hands full at the moment, but could you give me a helping hand?"

"Of-of course." Aoi nodded, her mind going straight away to the task. "I didn't expect you to know who I was in LINK VRAINS."

"Like I said, don't worry about it." Quinton replied as he put the second load of juice boxes beside the first one. "What I do want to know is: Why didn't you join in our alliance against the Hanoi?"

Aoi was silent as she brought the baked goods and put them beside the juice boxes. "It's just. I don't have a reason to duel right now." She turned to look at Quinton. "When I became Blue Angel, I did so in order for my brother to see that I can handle myself. But after what happened to me..."

"I know. We all saw it on the news. What the Hanoi did to you during your duel against Playmaker." Quinton sighed. "Unfortunately, this world is filled with cruel and selfish monsters who will do whatever it takes for their own self-gain. They can range from criminals like the Hanoi to the bullies in our neighborhood." He then looked at a picture on the wall. It showed him and Go Onizuka, along with several children. "But I have hope that there's people who will stand up for others and fight for the sake of good. That is why I became Stregone."

Aoi couldn't help but nod at what Quinton was saying as he headed back to the fridge. Everyone who went near her always wanted something from her, whether it was a referral to SOL Technologies, or even the new Duel Disk that came out. She soon snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a grunt behind her.

"A little... help?" Quinton asked, as Aoi rushed to help him carry what looked like a box of cucumbers, which, while they looked light, were actually really heavy. The two of them carried them over to a nearby sink. Afterwards, the two of them started chopping the skin off the cucumbers before cleaning them. "Thanks by the way, for the assist."

"No problem." Aoi said as she chopped the skin off of the cucumbers using a knife before cleaning them. "What was it you were saying earlier?"

Quinton thought for a minute before responding. "I remember! That the world was filled with cruel and selfish monsters who will do anything for it's self-interest. Sadly, Yuhiro had to learn this the hard way..."

"Yuhiro...? What exactly happened to him?" Aoi muttered. While she knew what happened to Yuhiro, she wanted to hear it from the man who he was raised under before getting adopted by Roxy.

"If you knew, you would turn deathly pale." Quinton said in a serious tone as he put down the cucumber and knife in his hands and turned off the sink. He then turned to look at Aoi with his green eyes. "Are you prepared for that?"

Aoi nodded. This is it: with the information she was about to learn, Aoi would finally be able to figure out how best to help Yuhiro get through his pain. And by doing that, he might be able to open up to others and trust them again. "Yes, I am. For I want to help Yuhiro the best I can."

"Very well." Quinton confirmed. "Ten years ago, this event happened in none other than Den City. At the age of six, Yuhiro was kidnapped by an unknown group of people and was tortured day and night, all for some 'science experiment'." He spat out the last two words. "As a result of the event, he suffered aftereffects that he still experiences to this day."

As she listened to the story, Aoi slowly pieced the puzzle pieces together: kidnapped, by an unknown group of people, aftereffects, and tortured day and night? It made perfect sense...

"I was one of the social workers who helped get him and the other children out of that horrible place when it ended." Quinton continued. "When I brought him to the Den City Shelter, I hoped that interacting with the other kids would help lessen his burden, but I was wrong. Yuhiro experienced no joy in the activities he participated in, suffered anxiety attacks, and also experienced nightmares. I can't keep track of all the times I heard him screaming for dear life."

Aoi was completely silent. _Poor Yuhiro_, she thought. _No wonder he mentioned he can't move on. From what he went through, the Lost Incident must have been that bad to scar him permanently._

"Did he... did he have any family?" she asked, nervous on what Quinton was going to say next.

"Unfortunately, no." he answered, his face looking downcast. "From what I know, every member of his family was brutally killed in an attack just hours before he was kidnapped. We don't know if there were any survivors, but it's safe to assume that they're all dead." He sighed and put a hand to his face temporarily, as though the events of the past caught up to him and caused him pain.

Aoi covered her hands to her mouth. _Yuhiro lost his family just hours before the Lost Incident began_, she thought. _And any memories he had with them were taken away from him forever_.

"But for some reason, I knew I couldn't give up on him." Quinton said. "Even in the state Yuhiro was in, I was determined to help him, in any way I could. And I guess I partially succeeded in the end."

Aoi raised an eyebrow in hearing his last comment. "How?"

"With this," Quinton answered, pulling out Arcanite Magician from his pocket. "I taught him how to play Duel Monsters, and it pretty much saved his life. As a result of the game, Yuhiro was able to interact with the other kids there. While the anxiety attacks and nightmares were still around, he pretty much functioned like a normal kid."

"And then years later, Yuhiro was adopted by Roxy." Aoi finished for Quinton, causing him to raise his eyebrows in surprise at her.

"He told you?" he asked, curious as to how Aoi knew that information.

"Yes," she answered, "just before we arrived here." Wanting to process what she heard, she asked, "Could you give me a few minutes to myself please?"

"Of course." Quinton responded, as he left the kitchen, his footsteps echoing in the silence.

_I have all this information about Yuhiro_, Aoi thought. _And yet after knowing all this about him, I still don't know how to help him. Not after the last time I asked Yuhiro about the Lost Incident._

She looked at her hands. "I don't know what to do," Aoi whispered, as tears flowed through her eyes. "I don't know what I even want. And if I don't know what I want, then I don't know how to help Yuhiro." She put her hands to her face as she cried, letting the tears flow out of her eyes.

"Oh, there you are!" a voice said as its owner entered the kitchen. "Yuhiro told me to find you, and-." When Aoi looked up, she was surprised to see Miles, who stopped talking upon seeing her upset. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were upset. I'll leave you alone if you like."

Miles was about to leave when she stopped him. "No. It's alright," she said as she wiped her tears using her arm. "Could you mind helping me bring the stuff on the table?"

"Yeah, sure." Miles replied, as he picked up a load of juice boxes and baked goods, while Aoi did the same.

"Miles," Aoi said, getting the boys attention as they walked out of the kitchen and through the hallway, "how did you end up volunteering here at the shelter?"

"Well, it's simple. I live here." Miles responded. "And Quinton convinced me to help maintain the place. I have to say, it's helped me cope with the grief of losing my mom."

"Your mom?" Aoi said, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Yeah." Miles sighed. "Are you familiar with the Disbandment Armistice?"

Aoi nodded. Three years ago, there were two gangs in Den City: the Sons of Ajax and the Nightlock Predators. They've been on a turf war with each other for many years, causing the deaths of not only gang members, but innocent civilians as well. One day, however, the fighting suddenly stopped when the gang leaders, Jeff Shilton, and Norman Rodriguez, surrendered themselves to the Den City Police. As a result, both gangs were dissolved, and as long as they weren't reformed for any reason, any gang members remaining were pardoned for all the crimes they committed while they existed.

"My dad was the gang leader of the Sons of Ajax." Miles said, his face looking somber as he recalled the story. "When I was 11 years old, there was a scuffle between my dad and Norman regarding a dead Nightlock Predator and stolen supplies. My dad told him again and again that he had nothing to do with it, but Norman didn't want to listen. He threatened war unless my dad paid tribute as compensation for the dead gang member."

Aoi was about to say something when Miles continued. "My mother had a heart full of gold, and wanted peace more than anything. She was able to convince my dad to parley with Norman, in the hopes of preventing a gang war. Unfortunately," Miles sniffled up before he got it under control, "the peace talks got out of hand, and Norman was about to shoot my dad when my mother took the bullet for him. Horrified by what happened, my dad and Norman agreed that their war wasn't worth it anymore. So, they dissolved their respective gangs permanently, and turned themselves to the police on the condition that any former gang members were to be pardoned for all crimes committed while they existed."

"I'm so sorry," was all Aoi could say. While she didn't have many memories of her mother, at least she and Miles were able to spend time with them before they died so early. "From what you tell me, she died like a hero in the end."

"I know. That's how I want to remember my mom as. A hero." Miles agreed with her. The two of them arrived at the main area of the shelter, where several tables were set up, with people sitting on the benches near them. Aoi put her load of juice boxes and baked goods at the designated area for them, while Miles did the same. "You want to know something really cool?"

Aoi was now curious as to what Miles was going to say next. "What?"

"Before my mom had me, she was a Charisma Duelist in LINK VRAINS. She was known as 'The Phoenix.'" Miles smiled in pride as he said that, while Aoi's mouth dropped a bit. As if to prove his point, Miles pulled out a card from his deck and showed her.

"No way," she said, as she looked at the card. Nephthys, the Sacred Flame, 'The Phoenix's' ace monster. "You mean to tell me that you're the son of-?"

"Yep!" Miles sheepishly confirmed. "The one and only. I plan to one day log onto LINK VRAINS and show the world that 'The Phoenix' is back!"

"That's very wonderful of you." Aoi said. "Your mom would be very proud of you carrying on her legacy. And I'm pretty sure that if you're lucky, you'll get to duel Blue Angel one day."

"Dueling a Charisma Duelist, huh?" Miles mulled over. "That would be a lot of fun actually now that you mention it."

"Of course."

"There you baboons are!" a new voice suddenly said, getting Miles' and Aoi's attention. Sure enough, there was Roxy, walking towards them with her arms crossed. "Yuhiro told me to find you guys because there's a lot of hungry people that need to be fed. He and Quinton need some help to serve these people food because there's two of them, compared to all the hungry customers we're receiving today." Aoi nodded in understanding, while Miles raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, why can't you help, Roxy?" Miles asked.

Roxy took a deep breath before saying to him directly, "BECAUSE I'M THE COOK, YOU DINGUS!"

This statement caused Miles to run outside in terror, while Aoi walked with Roxy outside.

"Was that really necessary?" Aoi asked her.

"Nah, just wanted to do that for my own amusement." Roxy responded.

_Hours later..._

By the time all of the burgers were served, and the room was cleaned up, every person there enjoyed their meal. From there, Roxy loaded the equipment back into the van while Yuhiro entertained the children with Progleo and Quinton while Aoi and Miles watched. Sadly, it came to an end once Roxy came back and said that it was time for them to go.

"You'll come back soon, right Yuhiro?" a little girl asked him as she gripped to his hand.

Turning to the little girl, Yuhiro said, "Don't worry, it's a promise." Hearing this made the girl light up in happiness.

"I'll see you next time, bud." Miles said as he pulled Yuhiro into a bro hug.

"Same here, Miles." Yuhiro replied, pulling away from the bro hug. It was then that Quinton came forward and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Promise me that you'll take care of yourself, all right?" Quinton asked.

Yuhiro couldn't help but smirk. "Don't worry yourself, Quinton. Everything will be fine. That, I promise."

Soon, he along with Roxy, Aoi, and Progleo walked away from the shelter, with several shouts of "Goodbye!" from the children, echoing from behind them.

"Take care!" Yuhiro shouted back with a smile.

Aoi couldn't help but wonder as she watched him interact with the kids. _At school, he acts like a different person_, she thought. _But here, he's kinder, happier and more willing to interact with others. Perhaps this place is more special to him than I thought. _

The quartet headed to the car and got in, with Roxy driving away from the shelter afterwards. A few minutes after they left, Aoi said, "I know why you brought me here, Furutani."

Yuhiro turned around from his front seat and raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"

"You wanted to help me find a reason to duel again. That's what Quinton told me." Aoi responded.

Roxy's eyes widened in surprise in hearing this, while all Yuhiro could do was smirk. "You're right on that. The truth was, I invited you here in the hopes of helping you find a purpose to duel again. Did going here today help?"

Aoi wasn't sure how to respond. While she didn't know who or what she wanted to duel for as of now, she'd be lying if she said that today didn't impact her at all. Aoi then remembered the words Quinton told her in the kitchen. _I have hope that there's people who will stand up for others and fight for the sake of good_.

Taking a deep breath, Aoi finally said, "While coming here today helped, I'm still not sure why I exactly duel. I need some more time to figure it out."

"No one's pressuring you, sweetie." Roxy interjected. "We all need some time to figure things out sometimes. Hell, when Yuhiro told me how you figured out his identity, it took a few hours for me to fully process that information and accept it. Ha!"

"Do you think we should tell her?" Yuhiro asked Roxy as he turned his head to face her.

"Might as well. As long as she is aware of what she's getting herself into, then I don't see the trouble." Roxy replied.

Yuhiro then pulled out his Duel Disk. "Here, Aoi. There's someone who you should meet." He handed the Duel Disk to Aoi, who placed it on her lap. Within moments, Herald emerged from the Duel Disk, surprising Aoi.

"Ah, so you're Blue Angel in the real world." Herald said. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Aoi Zaizen."

"You're... You're-." But before Aoi could finish her sentence, Herald continued.

"Yuhiro's Ignis. And if you think seeing me surprised you, just look at this." Turning to Progleo, who was sitting on the other backseat, Herald said, "Progleo, why don't you say hi to Aoi."

"Hi, Aoi!" Progleo said, causing Aoi's jaw to drop at the sight of seeing a talking dog.

"Believe me, that was my _exact_ reaction when Progleo started talking to me!" Yuhiro said, laughing at Aoi's reaction as a small touch of red formed around her cheeks.

As she turned to see Yuhiro actually enjoying himself for a change, Aoi thought, _There maybe hope that you can move on from the Lost Incident after all, Yuhiro. I promise, once I figure out what's going on with me, I'll do everything I can to help you move past your trauma._

"Hey, Aoi," Roxy said, snapping Aoi out of her thoughts and getting her attention, "I know that you've experienced issues of trust with people because of what they did to you. Trust me when I say, it can be a pain the ass." Roxy then looked at her rear-view mirror. "If you ever need someone to talk to about this, you can always talk to me."

Aoi smiled in gratitude. "Thank you, Roxy! I'll definitely keep it in mind!"

**Card Gallery**

_No cards in this chapter._

**QOTC**

_What did you think of Miles Shilton and his backstory, as well as the backstory Quinton Monell told Aoi about Yuhiro?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 15: Shifting Tides. The search for the Another cure continues! Raguel and the duelists he formed an alliance with continue to fight against the Knights of Hanoi, in an attempt to find out who was responsible for the Anothers, as well as how to cure them. After Raguel ends up defeating a Knight of Hanoi in a duel, he learns valuable information that could end the 'Another' situation, only for him to run into one more obstacle... _

**Responses to Reviews and Authors Notes**

Thank you to ZarcEternal, Revolver, Unknown, Savagemaster1999, HunterHQ, Anonymous, Unnamed, Tema Rocket, Guest, and Guest for reviewing Chapter 13 of Obscured Truth.

Okay, what a chapter! Thank you everyone very much for waiting, as it's helped me release this chapter in the best format it can be in. Before I answer people's reviews, we'll summarize what happened in this chapter.

The main thing that happened this chapter was Yuhiro taking Aoi to the Den City Shelter in an attempt to help her find a reason to duel again. While she was impacted by the visit, she still needs time to figure out what she ultimately wants, which is what will happen next chapter.

At the shelter, we meet Stregone's real-life identity, Quinton Monell, the owner of the Den City Shelter. He is the father-like figure to Yuhiro, who helped him after the Lost Incident by teaching him Duel Monsters. His appearance is based on Jake Gyllenhaal, while his personality is based off of Cassius Bright from Sora no Kiseki (or Trails in the Sky if you're not familiar with Sora no Kiseki).

We also meet Yuhiro's friend, Miles Shilton. He is the son of a Charisma Duelist OC in the story known as 'The Phoenix', as well as of a gang leader. Miles' story and how he ended up in the Den City Shelter was based around an event I created for the story in Den City known as the Disbandment Armistice, which is this: Three years ago, there was a gang war between the Sons of Ajax and the Nightlock Predators. One day, the leader of the Nightlock Predators, Norman Rodriguez, accused Jeff Shilton (leader of the Sons of Ajax) of the death of one of his gang members along with stolen supplies. Jeff attempted to parley with Norman at Miles' mother's urging, but the peace talks got out of hand, and he would have died had she not taken the bullet for him. Horrified by the events that transpired, Jeff and Norman disbanded their respective gangs and turned themselves to the police, on the condition that all former gang members were to be pardoned of any crimes committed while the gangs existed.

Following the events that happened, Miles was sent to the Den City Shelter, where there, he met Yuhiro. He also wishes to honor his mother's sacrifice by becoming an aspiring Charisma Duelist one day using her deck, which is the Nephthys deck. As for whether he'll duel in this story or not, I can confirm this: He will duel.

For those of you who are curious, Miles is 14 years old in this story, and his appearance is based on Miles Morales from Marvel Comics. His personality is also based on Izuku Midiyora from My Hero Academia.

After the visit at the shelter, Aoi and Herald end up meeting each other for the first time, and Progleo even says hello to her, shocking her in the process (to Yuhiro's amusement). What did you think of their first encounter with each other? Were you surprised, or did you expect something more?

Anyways, let's get onto the reviews.

ZarcEternal: My apologies for not explaining it to you last chapter, but I forgot to mention that I kept the Pendulum Zones in Speed Duels. The way this is done is that the Pendulum Zones shift to the left and right Spell and Trap Card zones that are closer to the middle. I implemented this so that it provides a challenge not only for Stregone, but for any other Pendulum duelists that might appear. If you still have questions about it, don't hesitate to send a PM.

Revolver: TBH, aside from the duels and Go Onizuka vs Dr. Genome, not much happened in Chapter 13. I get that you're disappointed, but I hope you understand that I wrote them in order for me to practice writing duels involving the Steelswarm and Danger! archetypes.

Unknown: How Yuhiro got his pendant will be answered later on the story. That's all I'll tell you.

Savagemaster1999: A duel between Playmaker vs. Watchman? If that were to happen, then Playmaker wouldn't last.

HunterHQ: I hoped that the duels gave the characters the spotlight they deserved. As to whether something like this will happen again or not during Blue Angel's duel against Baira, I'm not fully sure yet. What I will say about Numera is this: She will come clean eventually.

Anonymous: I agree with you. It's a shame that, even though Stregone gave Go a good pep talk, he abandoned his career as a Charisma Duelist and became a bounty hunter.

Unnamed: Watchman hasn't fully gained his power yet, which makes his abilities limited. He also doesn't know where in the network his former colleagues are. If he did, he could help Raguel.

Tema Rocket: You really think Watchman is evil? All I say to you is this: Keep on reading...

Guest: Thanks very much for the compliment. You will see more dub lines as the story goes on.

Guest: The 7th Ignis is Herald. And as for a duel between Watchman and Dr. Kogami, I'm afraid it won't happen.

As always, let me know what your thoughts, opinions, and comments are in your reviews. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to put them in your review as well. I also encourage you to spread word about this story to anyone you know that may enjoy it. Any constructive criticism you have is welcome, as it helps with the story. See you next time!


	15. Chapter 15: Shifting Tides

**Chapter 15: Shifting Tides**

_In LINK VRAINS..._

"Today's a great day to kick Hanoi ass!" Raguel said as he blasted out of a portal and landed onto a rooftop in LINK VRAINS, which overlooked the chaos the Hanoi was inflicting on innocent bystanders.

"That we can agree on, Raguel." Herald said, emerging from Raguel's Duel Disk. "Let's hope that today, we get lucky for once."

"Yeah. I'm starting to lose patience with these guys."

It had been two days since Raguel went to the shelter with Aoi and Roxy to help out. Unfortunately, the Hanoi's activity in LINK VRAINS increased over time. So Raguel decided to skip school today and yesterday in order to protect LINK VRAINS. He also suspected that Yusaku would be doing the same thing.

Roxy even decided to get started on two programs for Raguel: an anti-purge program to prevent people from being deleted, and a disguise program to move around without being seen. She told him that both programs would be extremely useful, even once the Another crisis ended.

While he wasn't lucky yesterday, he hoped that, today, he would finally hit the bullseye.

"Shall we go down to the streets?" Herald asked, turning to face Raguel.

"Let's go!" Raguel said as he jumped off the rooftop and landed on his duel board, where he sped off to an area where the Hanoi was inflicting the most damage. He then jumped off and landed on the street, where he could see several Knights going after innocent people.

"Here we are." Raguel put his hand on earpiece. "How's that disguise program going, Roxy?"

"It's almost done, just as you ordered!" Roxy responded. "Here you go!"

Within moments, Raguel got a notification on his Duel Disk, which confirmed that he received the disguise.

"Roxy," Raguel said, raising an eyebrow as he tried to click on the disguise she sent him, "why did you send it in a Compressed Zip Folder?"

"Sorry about that." Roxy replied. "Apparently, there was a lot of stuff that I had to put in this disguise, so I had to send everything in a nice Compressed Zip Folder."

"Uh-huh." Pressing the Compressed Zip Folder, he said, "Initiating disguise!" He then spread out his arms, as his appearance changed to that of the disguise Roxy sent him. He now wore a school uniform with a grey coat and a dark green stripe at the collar of the coat. It also came with a white shirt and a red tie. The lower half of his body changed to a dark green skirt with black tights and brown shoes. Raguel's face then changed to one that had large round brown irises, thick eyebrows, and a perpetual blush on each cheek. Finally, his hair color turned brown, as it bobbed and curved inwards at the ends.

Once it was done, Raguel looked at his hands. Upon doing so, he noticed that something was definitely wrong.

"Uh, Raguel?" Herald asked. When Raguel turned to face him, Herald couldn't help but cover his mouth to muffle his laughter.

"What? What's so funny?" Raguel said, only now in a female voice. This caught him off guard, causing him to cover his hands with his mouth. It then dawned on him. Roxy sent him a disguise based off of a schoolgirl!

"Roxy!" Raguel screamed at her through his earpiece. "Why the hell did you send me a disguise OF A SCHOOLGIRL?!"

"Hey, you wanted a disguise, so you got one." Roxy put her hands on her mouth to muffle her laughter. "And honestly, you look so cute in it." She laughed once again.

"Come on, Roxy!" Raguel whined. "Please tell me you have other options. I'll take anything you got."

"Nope. I only had time to make one, and I decided to make one that would not only humiliate you, but also help you blend in as well." For the second time, Roxy laughed. "Also, with the new voice you got, you don't sound threatening at all."

"Damn it, Roxy, when I get back to the real world-!" But before Raguel could finish his sentence, a Knight of Hanoi ended up spotting him.

"Well, well, well. Looks like I found my next prey." He then started running towards him.

"Considering you got the disguise," Herald said, "you might as well use it. After all, you do look cute in it."

_I'm going to kill you for this, Roxy_, Raguel thought, as he sighed and put a hand to his face. "Fine." After clearing his throat, he turned around from the Knight and screamed in a very loud voice, "SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

_Elsewhere, in LINK VRAINS..._

Go Onizuka rode his duel board, chasing a Knight of Hanoi that was in front of him.

"I won't let hooligans like you threaten LINK VRAINS!" Go declared.

"Let's see if you can back it up!" the Knight in front of Go said back.

"Speed Duel!" they shouted.

**Go Onizuka: 4000 LP**

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 LP**

"I'll take the first turn," Go said, waving his hand in front of him to see his cards. _Twistcobra, Bearhug, Riscorpio, and TagPartner_, Go thought_. Not a really good hand to start out with, but it will make things epic once I make a comeback_. "I summon Gouki Twistcobra from my hand!" A green ogre with four limbs appeared on Go's field. Two of the limbs ended with hands and the other two ended in sharp points, with two snake trails trailing from its head.

**Gouki Twistcobra ATK: 1600 DEF: 0 LVL: 3**

"That ends my turn." Go concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" the Knight declared. "I activate the Spell card, Graceful Charity! Now I can draw three cards from the top of my deck, in exchange for discarding two cards!" Using Graceful Charity, the Knight drew Negate Attack, Super Crashbug, and Crashbug Road. He then discarded Crashbug X and Crashbug Y from his hand.

_Now to bait him_, the Knight thought. "I summon a monster in face-down defense position." A face-down card appeared on the Knight's field. "That's all for me. You're up."

"My turn! I draw!" Go said, drawing the top card of his deck. When he looked at it, he smirked. "I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Gouki Shout! When a 'Gouki' monster I control attacks, it gains 300 attack points for every 'Gouki' monster I control until the end of the turn! As I control only one 'Gouki' monster, Twistcobra gains 300 attack points!"

**Gouki Twistcobra ATK: 1600 + 300 = 1900 ATK**

"Battle!" Go declared. "Twistcobra attacks your face-down defense position monster!" Twistcobra jumped forward and roundhouse kicked the card, turning it into particles.

"That ends my turn, which means Gouki Twistcobra's attack points go back to normal." Go concluded.

**Gouki Twistcobra ATK: 1900 – 300 = 1600**

_Something's definitely up with this Knight, _Go thought_. Better be on my guard_.

"My turn! I draw!" the Knight declared. "You're a fool, Go Onizuka! By doing what you just did, I've won this duel!"

"Is that so?" Go replied, raising an eyebrow. "There's a saying, you know. 'Pride always comes before a fall.'"

"We'll see if that's true or not!" the Knight responded back. "First, I Set one card face-down. Then I banish Crashbug X, Crashbug Y, and Crashbug Z from my Graveyard to Special Summon Super Crashbug from my hand in defense position!" A ginormous digital green behemoth with coding all over its body, as well as pink lines on its upper and lower body, roared upon entering the Knight's field. On its chest were five pink dots, along with a red tube through its shoulders. Its eyes turned red upon looking at Go.

**Super Crashbug ATK: 0 DEF: 3000 LVL: 4**

"That's why you wanted me to attack earlier." Go realized. _The Set monster was either Crashbug X, Y or Z, while he used Graceful Charity earlier to send the other two to the Graveyard_.

"The effect of Super Crashbug activates!" the Knight continued, turning to face Go. "All monsters in attack position have their attack and defense points switched!" Go's eyes widened in shock as Super Crashbug fired a yellow blast from its eyes at Twistcobra, enveloping him in a yellow aura.

**Gouki Twistcobra ATK: 1600 – 1600 = 0 DEF: 0 + 1600 = 1600**

"I end my turn here," the Knight concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" Go declared, but after drawing his card and looking at it, he realized that it wasn't what he wanted. _Gouki Face Turn isn't helpful right now_, he thought. _Guess I better defend myself while I can_.

"I switch Gouki Twistcobra to defense position." Go said as Twistcobra took a defensive stance behind his ally. "And end my turn."

"My turn! I draw!" the Knight declared. "I Set two cards. I'll also activate my face-down card, Curse of Fiend! This changes the battle positions of all monsters on the field!"

"What?!" Go widened his eyes as Twistcobra and Super Crashbug stood up, ready to battle. "Why would you do that?"

"Because of Super Crashbug's effect!" the Knight replied. "I said earlier that _all_ monsters in attack position have their attack and defense points switched! And since Super Crashbug is in attack position, it's attack and defense points are now switched!" As the Knight said this, Super Crashbug was enveloped in a yellow aura, which indicated that its strengths and weaknesses were now switched.

**Super Crashbug ATK: 0 + 3000 = 3000 DEF: 3000 – 3000 = 0**

"Battle!" the Knight declared. "Super Crashbug attacks Gouki Twistcobra!" Super Crashbug spewed out a blast of digital code from its mouth at Twistcobra, eating away at the green ogre and turning him into particles. As a result, an explosion occurred, causing Go to fall on his knees on his duel board.

**Go Onizuka: 4000 – 3000 = 1000 LP**

"I'll give you a three-count, just to show the world that the mighty Onizuka has fallen!" the Knight mockingly said. "One. Two. Thr-!"

But before the Knight could get to 'Three', Go stood up and laughed. "The effect of Twistcobra activates! Since it was sent to the Graveyard, I can add a 'Gouki' card other than itself from my deck to my hand! I'll add Gouki Grit from my deck to my hand!"

Go then raised his right hand and added, "I activate my Skill, Fighting Spirit! All 'Gouki' monsters that were destroyed in battle this turn return to my field from the Graveyard!" Immediately, Twistcobra reappeared on Go's field.

**Gouki Twistcobra ATK: 1600 DEF: 0 LVL: 3**

"You may have got your monster back," the Knight said, "but I still have moves to make. Like my Skill, Triple Draw! It lets me draw three cards from the top of my deck!" Using Triple Draw, the Knight drew Burial from a Different Dimension, a second Super Crashbug, and Meteorain.

_Damn it_, the Knight thought, gritting his teeth as he looked at Meteorain. _If I drew Meteorain on my previous turn, I could have Set it before using it this turn to win the duel. But next turn, Onizuka will be defeated in the name of the Hanoi_! "I end my turn!"

"Then it's my turn! I draw!" Go declared as he drew the top card of his deck. Upon seeing Gouki Suprex in his hand, he smiled. _I just had to keep believing I could find a way_, he thought. Now it was time to shift the duel in his favor. "I summon Gouki Suprex from my hand!" A blue ogre with claws on his hands and a long blue tail appeared on his field.

**Gouki Suprex ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

"Suprex's effect activates! As it was Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon a 'Gouki' monster from my hand! Come on out, Gouki Bearhug!" A brown ogre wearing bear skin all over his body appeared on Go's field. The ogre also had bear claws on his hands as well.

**Gouki Bearhug ATK: 2400 DEF: 0 LVL: 6**

"Bearhug's effect!" Go continued. "As it was Special Summoned by the effect of a 'Gouki' card, or Normal Summoned, I can target one monster you control and make its attack points become half its original attack points! I choose Super Crashbug!" Bearhug leapt forward and slashed Super Crashbug, cutting its strength in half.

**Super Crashbug ATK: 3000 / 2 = 1500 - 0 **

"Since your Super Crashbug's original attack points were zero, there was no strength to cut in half, meaning that it's weak forever!" The Knight gritted his teeth in hearing that. "Now I'll use my monsters to mash up my circuit!" Go fired a blast of energy from his hand, which formed a Link Portal ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two 'Gouki' monsters! I'll set Gouki Suprex and Twistcobra in the Link Markers!" Suprex entered the left arrowhead, while Twistcobra entered the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Fly into battle! Link 2! Gouki Jet Ogre!" A purple ogre with red bushy hair joined Go's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. He wore metallic shin guards and had a massive jetpack on it's back. He also carried a musketeer's sword on its right hand.

**Gouki Jet Ogre ATK: 2000 LINK-2 **⬅️⬇️

"The effects of Suprex and Twistcobra activate in my Graveyard, letting me add 'Gouki' cards besides themselves from my deck to my hand!" Go added. Using Suprex and Twistcobra's effects, Go added Gouki Rematch and Gouki Cage Match from his deck to his hand.

_Since Link Monsters have no defense points_, the Knight thought, _they should be automatically zero_. "I activate Super Crashbug's effect!" the Knight said. "The attack and defense of all attack position monsters are switched!" While Bearhug was enveloped in a yellow aura, Jet Ogre was unaffected.

**Gouki Bearhug ATK: 2400 – 2400 = 0 DEF: 0 + 2400 = 2400**

"What? Why isn't your Link Monster affected?" the Knight asked, demanding to know.

Go, in response, smirked. "It's simple. Link Monsters only have attack points. They also can only exist in attack position as well!"

"Tch!" The Knight gritted his teeth. "In that case, I activate my face-down Trap card, No Entry! Now all monsters on the field that are in attack position change to defense position!" As he said this, Super Crashbug and Bearhug took kneeling positions by the effect of No Entry!. _I'll at least protect myself from damage this turn_, the Knight thought.

"You think changing your monster to defense position will save you? Think again!" Go declared. "I activate Jet Ogre's effect! I can target a 'Gouki' monster on my field and destroy it, and by doing so, all monsters on the field change to attack position! I target Bearhug!" On Go's command, Bearhug turned into particles that entered Jet Ogre's sword, turning it yellow. Jet Ogre then flew forward and stabbed Super Crashbug, causing it to stand up and revert back into attack position.

"The effect of Bearhug activates from my Graveyard, as now I get to add a 'Gouki' card other than Bearhug from my deck to my hand!" Using Bearhug's effect, Go added Gouki Finishing Hold from his deck to his hand.

"I activate Gouki Re-Match from my hand!" Go said. "This card lets me Special Summon two 'Gouki' monsters from my Graveyard in defense position, as long as they have different levels. Return, Gouki Suprex and Twistcobra!" The blue and green ogres reappeared on Go's field in defense position, with Jet Ogre pointing to Twistcobra.

**Gouki Suprex ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

**Gouki Twistcobra: ATK: 1600 DEF: 0 LVL: 3**

"And now I have everything I need, to mash up my circuit a second time!" Go declared, as he fired a blast of energy from his right hand, creating a second Link Portal ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Gouki' monsters! I'll set Gouki Jet Ogre, which is a Link 2 monster, and Gouki Suprex, in the Link Markers!" Jet Ogre split in half, entering the bottom-left and bottom right arrowheads around the portal, while Suprex entered the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Show yourself! Link 3! Gouki the Great Ogre!" A massive warrior with horns atop of his head emerged from the portal. He wore black and purple armor with a dark brown fur cape draped from his shoulders. The Great Ogre carried a large battle axe as he was summoned to the Extra Monster Zone, pointing to Twistcobra.

**Gouki the Great Ogre ATK: 2600 LINK-3 **↙️⬇️↘️

"Jet Ogre's effect activates! As it was sent to the Graveyard, all 'Gouki' monsters I control gain 500 attack points until the end of the turn!" The Great Ogre and Twistcobra were both surrounded in a red aura as their strength increased.

**Gouki the Great Ogre ATK: 2600 + 500 = 3100**

**Gouki Twistcobra ATK: 1600 + 500 = 2100**

"From there, I activate my Spell card, Gouki Finishing Hold! This card increases the attack of a 'Gouki' Link Monster I control by 1000 times its Link Rating until the end of the turn! In addition, it can also inflict piercing battle damage! However, I can only attack with 'Gouki' monsters for the rest of this turn! I target The Great Ogre!" The Great Ogre was enveloped in a golden aura as its strength increased to greater heights.

**Gouki the Great Ogre ATK: 3100 + (1000 X 3) = 6100**

"Your monster has over 6000 attack points?" the Knight asked, shocked at what he was seeing.

"That's correct!" Go replied. "And I'll end you with one attack!" Thrusting out his hand, Go shouted, "Battle! Gouki the Great Ogre attacks Super Crashbug! At this point, Gouki Shout's effect activates! When a 'Gouki' monster I control attacks, it gains 300 attack points for every 'Gouki' monster I control until the end of the turn! As I control two 'Gouki' monsters, The Great Ogre gains 600 attack points!"

**Gouki the Great Ogre ATK: 6100 + 600 = 6700**

"Gouki Axe Slash!" The Great Ogre charged forward, with the intent of destroying Super Crashbug, but...

"You fool!" the Knight interjected. "I activate my face-down Trap card, Hate Buster! When a Fiend monster I control is targeted for an attack, I can destroy the monster I control along with your attacking monster, and then inflict damage equal to the original attack points of the monster you had! Since Gouki the Great Ogre had 2600 attack points, you're finished!"

"I don't think so!" Go said right back. "I activate The Great Ogre's effect! If it would be destroyed by battle or card effect, I can destroy one of the monsters it points to instead! And since Twistcobra is in a Main Monster Zone The Great Ogre points to, I'll destroy it instead to keep my monster safe!" Super Crashbug thrust out his arm at The Great Ogre, intending to take him down with it, but Twistcobra stepped in the way, causing both monsters to be destroyed by Hate Buster's effect.

**Gouki the Great Ogre ATK: 6700 – 300 = 6400**

"Oh no!" the Knight said, realizing what he done.

"Your pride was your own undoing." Go said. "As you now have no monsters, The Great Ogre's attack continues! Finish this Knight off!" The Great Ogre, angered by his comrade's death, charged forward and slashed the Knight, causing him to fall off his duel board and turn into data as his life points dropped to zero.

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 – 6400 = 0**

"Damn." Go said. "Had he landed on the ground, I could have interrogated him for information." Suddenly, he saw an explosion. "Looks like there's more Hanoi trash to take care of." He then sped off to the area where the explosion occurred.

_In another area of LINK VRAINS..._

"Your days of interference are at an end, Playmaker!" a Knight with a grey mask and brown lines said as he followed Playmaker on the data stream.

"They will never end. Not as long as the Hanoi exists." Playmaker replied.

"Speed Duel!" Playmaker and the Knight shouted.

**Playmaker: 4000 LP**

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 LP**

"I'll go first." Playmaker declared. "I Set one card face-down. Next, as I control no monsters, I can Special Summon LinkSlayer from my hand!" A man in golden lion armor with a long, brown cape appeared on Playmaker's field. On each of his claws was a translucent, long blue blade.

**LinkSlayer ATK: 2000 DEF: 600 LVL: 5**

"Next I summon Draconet!" A white dragon machine with blue lines running over it also appeared on Playmaker's field.

**Draconet ATK: 1400 DEF: 1200 LVL: 2**

"Draconet's effect!" Playmaker continued. "When this monster is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 2 or lower Normal monster from my hand or deck in defense position!" A card popped out of Playmaker's deck, which he took. "I summon Bitron from my deck in defense position!" A small white machine with blue eyes joined Playmaker's field as well.

**Bitron ATK: 200 DEF: 2000 LVL: 2**

"Now I shall create my ultimate circuit!" Playmaker's hand glowed blue as the Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are one Normal monster! I'll set Bitron in the Link Markers!" Bitron then entered the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Link Spider!" A black mechanical spider emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Playmaker's field.

**Link Spider ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Once again, I will create my ultimate circuit!" The Link Portal appeared once again ahead of Playmaker. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I'll set Link Spider, which is a Link 1 monster, LinkSlayer, and Draconet in the Link Markers!" Link Spider went into the top arrowhead, LinkSlayer went into the bottom-left arrowhead, and Draconet went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 3! Decode Talker!" A warrior in dark blue armor carrying a large, purple sword appeared, and was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Decode Talker ATK: 2300 LINK-3 **↙️**⬆️**↘️

"That ends my turn." Playmaker concluded.

"Let's see how you'll respond to our flashy moves!" Ai said, emerging from Playmaker's Duel Disk and taking a boxing stance.

"My turn! I draw!" the Knight said, drawing a card. "I Set three cards face-down."

"You're Setting three cards face-down?" Ai asked as he put a hand to his chin and narrowed his eyes. "What are you up to?"

"Next I summon Gatling Ogre from my hand!" the Knight continued, ignoring Ai as a purple-skinned fiend with spiky blue hair appeared. It wore a brown trench coat embroidered with gold, and its left arm had been replaced by a magazine folder that fed a belt of bullets into the gun barrel attached to the fiend's waist. It's right arm was held firm on a rotating handle.

**Gatling Ogre ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

"800 attack points? Is that all you got, you punk?" Ai taunted the Knight.

"If there's anything you should learn, Ai, it's this: Even though a monster may look weak, it can have a deadly ability that can change an entire duel around." Playmaker advised Ai.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Ai asked as he turned to look at Playmaker.

"Let me show you!" the Knight shouted. "I activate the effect of Gatling Ogre! I can send one Set Spell or Trap card to the Graveyard, and by doing this, I can inflict 800 points of damage to you!"

"What?" both Playmaker and Ai said as they widened their eyes.

"The best part is that I can use this effect multiple times! So I'll send all three cards on my field to the Graveyard! Which means you take 2400 points of damage!" As the Knight sent his Set cards to the Graveyard, Gatling Ogre rotated its handle and started firing. Even though Playmaker shielded himself from the continuous hail of bullets using his arms, it still hurt. A lot.

**Playmaker: 4000 – 2400 = 1600 LP**

"Appear! The circuit of the Hanoi!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of the Knight. "The summoning conditions are one Fiend monster! I'll set Gatling Ogre in the Link Marker!" Gatling Ogre went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 1! Militia Ogre!" A muscular, grey skinned ogre was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on the Knights field. It wore military boots and black pants, along with a belt containing ammunitions, grenades, and two handguns on each side. It also wore a bulletproof vest covering its entire body. A shoulder machine gun was attached to the back of each of the ogre's shoulders.

**Militia Ogre ATK: 800 LINK-1** ⬇️

"When Militia Ogre is Link Summoned, I can banish all Spell and Trap cards in my Graveyard, and if I do, it gains 800 attack points for each banished card by this effect!" The Knight smirked as Militia Ogre powered up.

**Militia Ogre ATK: 800 + (800 X 3) = 3200**

"That Link 1 monster just drank a massive Red Bull and powered up!" Ai panicked. Playmaker gritted his teeth. While he usually didn't agree with Ai, for once, he came to a common understanding with him.

"I Set one card face-down. Next, I activate Militia Ogre's second effect!" the Knight said, thrusting out his right hand. "Once per turn, by shuffling a banished Spell or Trap card into my deck, I can destroy one monster you control and inflict damage equal to its original attack points! And the monster I destroy by this effect is Decode Talker!"

"Say what?" Playmaker said, as the machine guns attached to Militia Ogre started spinning, firing down an endless supply of bullets at Decode Talker as the monster exploded into particles. Once again, Playmaker had to shield himself from the explosion.

**Playmaker: 1600 – 1150 = 450 LP**

"As there is one less banished Spell or Trap card, Militia Ogre loses 800 attack points," the Knight explained. "And I cannot conduct my Battle Phase the turn I use this effect. Thus, I end my turn."

**Militia Ogre ATK: 3200 – 800 = 2400**

"My turn! I draw!" Playmaker drew the top card from his deck, and narrowed his eyes at what he got.

"Yo, Playmaker!"Ai said. "Data Storm inbound. You ready?"

"Yes," Playmaker answered. He looked ahead as a Data Storm Tornado formed in front of him. The Knight moved to evade it, while Playmaker jumped right into it.

Playmaker yelled as he reached into the data stream. Shadows showing various monsters appeared around him as blue energy gathered around him.

In his Duel Disk, Ai's gaze sharpened. "Seize the wind, Playmaker!" Playmaker took his hand out of the data stream, holding a shining card.

"I activate my Skill, Storm Access!" The shadow of a female, humanoid monster appeared and posed. Playmaker then shot out of the tornado and landed on the stream, in front of the Knight of Hanoi, who was shocked at what he saw.

"Trap card, activate! Link Reanimation!" The card showed Decode Talker climbing out of a portal from the ground. Only the warrior was damaged, with bruises and wounds all over him. "By negating the effects of Link Monsters in my Graveyard and reducing their attack points to zero, I can Special Summon as many Cyberse Link Monsters from my Graveyard as possible to Main Monster Zones on my field. However, at the End Phase, they're destroyed, and I take 1000 points of damage for each one Special Summoned by this effect. Return, Decode Talker and Link Spider!" Both Decode Talker and Link Spider reappeared on Playmaker's field, only in the left and right Main Monster Zones.

**Decode Talker ATK: 2300 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

**Decode Talker ATK: 2300 – 2300 = 0**

**Link Spider ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

**Link Spider ATK: 1000 – 1000 = 0**

"Since I control a Cyberse monster, Backup Secretary can be Special Summoned from my hand!" A woman with white clothes and a purple cape joined his other monsters.

**Backup Secretary ATK: 1200 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

"And now, I shall create my ultimate circuit!" Playmaker declared as a Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two monsters. I'll set Backup Secretary, and Link Spider, which is a Link 1 monster, in the Link Markers!" Backup Secretary went into the bottom arrowhead, while Link Spider went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Backup Supervisor!" The woman from earlier returned to Playmaker's field, only this time in the right Extra Monster Zone, carrying a notepad. The woman wore white clothes like before, only now they had titanium plating. She also wore a long, purple diamond skirt at the lower half of her body. Attached to her back were two propelling fans.

**Backup Supervisor ATK: 1200 LINK-2** ⬇️➡️

"Now I summon Debris Sweeper from my hand!" A small, brown mine with a cybernetic pink eye and two wired claws appeared on Playmaker's field.

**Debris Sweeper ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

"It's time to create my ultimate circuit for a final time!" Playmaker declared as a Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two or more monsters! I'll set Decode Talker, which is a Link 3 monster, and Debris Sweeper, in the Link Markers!" Decode Talker split into three and entered the left, right, and top arrowheads, while Debris Sweeper entered the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 4! Firewall Dragon!" A massive blue and white dragon with circles all over its body appeared on the field, summoned to the Main Monster Zone Backup Supervisor was pointing to.

**Firewall Dragon ATK: 2500 LINK-4** ⬅️⬆️⬇️➡️

"Firewall Dragon's effect! Once, while it's on the field, I can return monsters on the field or Graveyard back to their owner's hands up to the number of monsters co-linked to this card. As Backup Supervisor is co-linked to Firewall Dragon, I'll return Militia Ogre back to your hand! Emergency Escape!" The Knight could do nothing but grit his teeth as Firewall Dragon fired electricity from its head to the ogre, electrocuting it into particles and returning it to the Knight's deck.

"And since Link Monsters don't go to the hand, they go right back to your Extra Deck instead!" Ai added.

"I activate the effect of Debris Sweeper from my Graveyard," Playmaker said, ignoring Ai's commentary. "When it's used to Link Summon, I can destroy 1 card on the field and inflict 500 points of damage!" A silhouette of the small brown mine from earlier appeared and blasted an optic blast at the face-down card, turning it into particles. The Knight's left shoulder fizzled as a result, causing him to steady it with his right hand.

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 – 500 = 3500 LP**

"Battle!" Playmaker declared. "Firewall Dragon attacks you directly! Tempest Terahertz!" Firewall Dragon's wings transformed into eight pieces that formed rings of energy around it. The dragon then gathered energy in its mouth that it blasted at the Knight, causing him to lose his balance for a few moments before regaining it.

**Knight of Hanoi: 3500 – 2500 = 1000 LP**

"Your turn, Backup Supervisor! Attack the Knight directly!" Backup Supervisor proceeded to press a few buttons on her notepad, causing the two propelling fans on her back to aim at the Knight and fire two blasts of energy at him. Once the blasts collided with the Knight, it sent him flying off his duel board and onto a nearby rooftop.

**Knight of Hanoi: 1000 – 1200 = 0 **

Playmaker leapt onto the rooftop where the Knight was and grabbed his collar.

"Tell me who's responsible for creating the Another virus." Playmaker demanded from him.

"You're wasting your time, kid. Because I'm not talking," the Knight replied back.

"Tell us now or I'll eat you faster than a bag of microchips!" Ai said as he transformed into his monster form, ready to eat the Knight whole.

"Okay, stop. The creator of the virus. Her name is-." But that was all the Knight could say before he screamed and turned into black data, dissolving until there weren't any remains of him left.

"Darn it! And we were so close too!" Ai said, snapping his fingers.

"Not exactly, Ai." Playmaker said, standing up. "For if there's anything we learned just now, the person who's responsible for turning people into Anothers is a 'She'."

"And how does that help, exactly?" Ai asked, crossing his arms as he turned to face Playmaker.

"It narrows our search of suspects, as Revolver isn't the one that turned people into Anothers." Playmaker narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps Raguel might have more luck. But in the meantime, we should continue finding more Knights to get the information we need." He then jumped off the rooftop and landed on his duel board, where he sped off to find more Knights.

_Meanwhile, in another area of LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel, who was still in his schoolgirl disguise, ended up attracting three Knights to his attention. As he was running, he spotted an alley, and headed there. The Knights smirked, believing they finally got their next prey.

The Knights smirked wickedly. "Nowhere to run," one of them said, as Raguel turned to face them. "Time to duel, little girl!"

"I was hoping you'd ask," Raguel said, as he glowed yellow and started to change forms. Seconds later, his true avatar revealed himself.

"Raguel?!" all three Knights shouted. Oh crap.

Before they could even react, Raguel shot out his Duel Anchor at one of the Knights, which wrapped itself around the middle Knight's left arm. Grabbing onto the Duel Anchor, Raguel then swung his captive prey left and right, hitting the other Knights and causing them to hit the ground before flinging him high into the air. Using the alley walls, Raguel immediately wall jumped side to side before jumping onto his duel board, while the Knight unceremoniously landed on his duel board, only on his stomach.

"You'll regret doing that," the Knight said, getting up on his duel board.

"Yeah, yeah." Raguel replied, rolling his eyes. "I get that a lot. But I'd rather get to the part where I kick your sorry ass, wouldn't you agree?"

"You're in for it now!" the Knight said, as he motioned for Raguel to follow him.

"Speed Duel!" the two duelists declared.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 LP**

"I'll go first," the Knight said, as he swiped his hand in front of him to look at his cards. "First, I discard Ahrima, the Wicked Warden from my hand to activate its effect! By discarding this card, I can add one 'Lair of Darkness' from my deck to my hand!" As the Knight sent Ahrima to the Graveyard, he took a card out of his deck and added Lair of Darkness to his hand. "Next, I activate the Spell card, Allure of Darkness! I draw two cards, and then banish 1 DARK monster from my hand!" The Knight then drew two cards from the top of his deck before banishing Mist Archfiend from his hand. "I Set one card face-down, and summon Archfiend Cavalry from my hand!" A demonic creature in red armor holding a lance in his left hand and riding on an armored blue horse appeared on the Knight's hand.

**Archfiend Cavalry ATK: 1900 DEF: 0 LVL: 4 **

"Now I activate my Field Spell card, Lair of Darkness! While this card is in my Field Zone, all monster's attributes are now DARK! With that, I end my turn!"

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel declared. "I summon Cyreath Barbarian!" A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are one 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Barbarian in the Link Markers!" Barbarian went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1 **⬇️

"Barbarian's effect!" Raguel continued. "As it was used to Link Summon a monster, the Link Summoned Monster that used Barbarian as a Link Material gains 500 attack points!"

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 + 500 = 1500**

"Scorpius' effect! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Barbarian!" Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Barbarian grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared once again, as a second Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Scorpius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Barbarian, in the Link Markers!" Scorpius went into the top arrowhead, while Barbarian once again went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Ride into battle! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the right Extra Monster Zone. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"Lair of Darkness will change your monster's attribute to DARK!" the Knight reminded Raguel.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander: FIRE - DARK**

"Barbarian's effect activates once again!" Raguel said, aware of the effect of Lair of Darkness.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 + 500 = 2500**

"I activate the Equip Spell card, Barbarian Hammer!" The card showed a massive hammer with spiked ends and a long handle. "When a 'Cyreath' monster equipped with this card attacks and destroys a monster you control, I can also destroy 1 card on your field and inflict 1000 points of damage!"

"Ah, quite a clever card!" Herald said, emerging from Raguel's Duel Disk. "And combined with it's immunity to destruction by battle and card effects when it attacks makes Chariot Commander the perfect ideal candidate to give the hammer to."

"Obviously." Going back to the duel, Raguel said, "I Set two cards face-down. Battle! Cyreath Chariot Commander attacks Archfiend Cavalry!" Chariot Commander charged forward and swung the Barbarian Hammer at Archfiend Cavalry, but...

"Trap card, activate! Impenetrable attack!" the Knight interjected. "When it's activated, I can choose one of two effects! And I'll choose it's first effect, where my monster cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects this turn!" As the Knight said this, Archfiend Cavalry was covered in a yellow barrier, which took the brunt of Chariot Commander's attack.

"But you still take battle damage!" Raguel reminded the Knight.

**Knight of Hanoi: 4000 – 600 = 3400**

"I end my turn." Raguel concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" the Knight declared. Upon seeing what he got, the Knight smirked. "Prepare yourself for the end, Raguel! First, I summon Tour Guide from the Underworld!" A red-haired woman wearing a blue-suit and carrying a black purse with a skull-and-crossbones on it appeared.

**Tour Guide from the Underworld ATK: 1000 DEF: 600 LVL: 3**

"Tour Guide's monster effect! When it's Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 3 Fiend monster from my hand or deck with its effects negated! From my deck, I Special Summon Lilith, Lady of Lament!" A red-haired, black skinned female demon appeared on the Knight's field. She had a very long tail, along with bat wings. Her right eye was red, while the other eye was green.

**Lilith, Lady of Lament ATK: 2000 DEF: 0 LVL: 3**

"I activate the Spell card, Double Summon!" the Knight added. "This card lets me perform an additional Normal Summon this turn! Now I'll tribute Tour Guide from the Underworld and Archfiend Cavalry to Tribute Summon Darkest Diablos, Lord of the Lair!" A massive, black and white dragon with chains all over its body appeared on the Knights field. The dragon had large wings and a long tail. Its blue eyes glared at Raguel as it roared at him.

**Darkest Diablos, Lord of the Lair ATK: 3000 DEF: 2000 LVL: 8**

"I activate the effect of Darkest Diablos! Once per turn, I can tribute a DARK monster to have you place one card from your hand at the bottom or top of your deck! But why stop there? I also activate the effect of Lair of Darkness! Once per turn, if I would tribute a monster I control to activate a card effect, I can tribute a DARK monster you control instead!"

"What did you say?" Raguel said, shocked and angered at what the Knight just told him.

"With the effect of Lair of Darkness, I tribute the DARK attribute Cyreath Chariot Commander!" the Knight said. Immediately, Chariot Commander and the Barbarian Hammer turned into particles. "Now send the only card in your hand to the top or bottom of your deck."

"Fine." Raguel spat out. He took the card in his hand, Cyreath Sphinx, and put it at the bottom of his deck.

"Time to battle!" the Knight declared. "First, Lilith, Lady of Lament attacks you directly!" Lilith went in for the attack and slashed Raguel with her claws before returning to the Knight's field, causing Raguel to hold his abdomen as it flickered.

**Raguel: 4000 – 2000 LP**

"You're finished, Raguel! Darkest Diablos attacks you directly! Ghoulish Flame!" Darkest Diablos gathered ghoulish flames in its mouth before firing it at Raguel. However...

"Quick-Play Spell, activate!" Raguel interrupted. "Cyreath Rebound! This card not only negates your attack, but also inflicts damage equal to half of your monster's attack! Since Darkest Diablos has 3000 attack points, you take 1500 points of damage!" Cyreath Rebound emitted a shield around Raguel, which pushed the fiery energy back to the Knight, making him stagger.

**Knight of Hanoi: 3400 – 1500 = 1900**

"You got lucky this time," the Knight said, as he regained his balance. "I end my turn. As my turn ended, I can Special Summon 'Torment' tokens in defense position equal to the number of monsters tributed to that respective player's field. Here's a gift, Raguel. Because it's the last one you'll ever get!" A dark, ghoulish spirit with green eyes and mouth was summoned to Raguel's field in defense position.

**Torment Token ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3**

"He's got us on the ropes," Herald commented. "But that won't stop us, right partner?"

Raguel nodded. "Of course." Putting a hand on the top card of his deck, he said, "My turn! I draw! I activate my face-down Spell Card, Pandora's Box!" The card showed a spartan with white skin and a red tattoo on the left side of his face and body opening the box, seeking power. "This card lets me draw until I have five cards in my hand. However, I must discard a 'Cyreath' monster from my hand at the end of my turn, or I'll take 2000 points of damage." He then drew the top four cards from his deck.

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of Raguel. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set the Torment token in the Link Markers!" The Torment token turned into a black cyclone of energy as it entered the bottom-left arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Skull Wing!" A small skull with wings fluttered in the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Skull Wing ATK: 300 LINK-1** ↙️

"Next, I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Lead from my hand!" The card showed Cyreath Hercules, leading various Cyreath Barbarians into battle. "This card lets me Special Summon a Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my hand. I Special Summon Cyreath Gargoyle from my hand!" A small, blue gargoyle with large horns, stubby wings, and large hands with vicious claws appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Gargoyle ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

"Appear, for a second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a second Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Skull Wing, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Gargoyle in the Link Markers!" Gargoyle went into the bottom arrowhead, while Skull Wing went into the bottom-left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 2! Cyreath Teumessian Fox!" An orange fox with black stripes all over its body was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone and barred its fangs at the Knight.

**Cyreath Teumessian Fox ATK: 1000 LINK-2** ↙️⬇️

**Cyreath Teumessian Fox: EARTH - DARK**

"Skull Wing's effect! Since it was used to Link Summon, you take 300 points of damage!" A silhouette of Skull Wing appeared and went through the Knight, causing him to shudder.

**Knight of Hanoi: 1900 – 300 = 1600 LP**

"Now I activate my Skill, Call of Olympus! I can Special Summon 1 random 'Cyreath' monster straight from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck, which he added to his hand. _Perfect_, he thought as he looked at the card. "Through my Skill, I Special Summon Cyreath Legionnaire!" A muscular man in golden armor, shin pads, braces, and helmet with red feathers appeared on Raguel's field. He carried a small sword and massive shield.

**Cyreath Legionnaire** **ATK: 1700 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

**Cyreath Legionnaire: EARTH - DARK**

"Everything is set for this!" Raguel said. "Appear, for the final time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A third Link Portal appeared ahead of Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Teumessian Fox, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Legionnaire, in the Link Markers!" Legionnaire went into the bottom arrowhead, while Teumessian Fox split into two and entered the top-left and top-right arrowheads.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3** ↖️⬇️↗️

"Teumessian Fox's effect! Since it was used to Link Summon a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, the Link Summoned monster can attack directly this turn!" As Raguel said this, an orange aura surrounded Hercules.

"Your monster can attack _directly_ now?" the Knight asked, his face showing fear. Raguel, in response, nodded, making the Knight gasp.

"Legionnaire's effect activates as well!" Raguel continued. "Since it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster can inflict piercing battle damage this turn!" It was evident to Raguel that the Knight knew he was completely screwed.

"Judging from the look on the Knight's face, it looks like he's about to pee his pants." Herald observed.

"Let's make sure we scar him then." Raguel then thrust out his right hand and said, "Battle! Cyreath Hercules attacks you directly! Nemean Strike!" Hercules jumped forward, pulled back his right hand, and smashed his right gauntlet at the Knight, causing him to be sent flying off his duel board. He would have fallen headfirst to the ground had Raguel not caught him using his Duel Anchor.

**Knight of Hanoi: 1600 – 2500 = 0 **

"Who's responsible for creating the 'Another' virus?" Raguel demanded.

"I won't talk!" the Knight shouted back.

"Fine, but you forced this on yourself!" Raguel activated his Cracker gauntlet and electrocuted the Duel Anchor, thus electrocuting the Knight as well. "That was Level 1. Do you want to experience Level 2? If you don't want to, then give me a name!"

"Baira!" the Knight said, panicking. "She's responsible for-AAAAAGGGGHHHH!" The Knight screamed as his body turned into black data, causing the Duel Anchor to retreat back into Raguel's Duel Disk.

"Well, that sucked." Herald said. "I was looking forward to going all 'Bad Cop' on him."

"If you mean your hydra form," Raguel said, as he jumped on a nearby rooftop, "I say we save it in case we absolutely need it. But regardless, we learned three things not just from this duel, but from the other duels as well. One: There are other people than Revolver, Infearno, and Dancho who are giving these Knights orders. It means that they're likely busy with something else."

"Which means there's more Hanoi scum to take care of," Herald added, as he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"Two: The Hanoi want to cover their tracks by erasing each defeated Knight and Sergeant." Raguel continued. "This tells me that they prefer to operate in the shadows, in secrecy."

Herald pondered this information for a moment before speaking. "It makes sense when you think about it. After all, what if turning innocents into 'Anothers' is only but a step to their master plan?"

"That's something we need to find out." Raguel told him. "Three: The name of the person who created the 'Another' Virus is Baira. As the creator, she must have the cure for the 'Another' Virus."

"And she could also be an excellent lead to the whereabouts of Revolver and his lackeys." Herald added.

"Good thinking. Let's get this information to the others so-."

GROWL...

"What's wrong?" Herald asked.

"I'm hungry," was all Raguel said. "I guess time flew by fast." Looking at his Duel Disk, he added, "Crap. It's already halfway through the afternoon. A good lunch break is what I need." He then logged out afterwards.

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

Yuhiro opened his eyes and leaned on the back of the sealed room. The door opened as he slowly stumbled out, careful not to fall. Progleo jumped out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk, concern on his face.

"Is everything okay, Yuhiro?" Progleo asked Yuhiro, who leaned on a nearby wall for support.

"I'm fine, buddy." Yuhiro replied. "Just need to get my strength back, that's all." He stretched his arms and legs, which helped provide him with some energy.

"Is it me, or is Roxy usually here?" Herald asked, as he looked around the backroom.

"She might be getting lunch ready." Yuhiro said to Herald. "Or-."

DING!

"Yuhiro! Could you get the customer's order?" Roxy shouted from upstairs.

"Sure thing!" Yuhiro shouted back, as he walked out of the backroom and to Café Matsuo. Progleo, on the other hand, went upstairs to look for Roxy.

As Yuhiro headed to the counter, he grabbed his apron along with a pen and paper. "What can I get you-?" But when he looked at who the customer was, it was the last person he expected to see today.

"How are you, Furutani?"

Yuhiro stumbled backwards a few steps. Rachel Miyake was standing in front of the counter, smiling at him. She wasn't wearing the Den Academy uniform; instead, she was wearing a white, Victorian-style dress with a dark magenta line all around the bottom, and carried a small black bag. At the upper section of the dress was two black triangles on both sides, with a small red handkerchief in the middle. She also wore high white socks and small black shoes as well.

Yuhiro narrowed his eyes. "Miyake," he began. "How do you know I work here?"

"Simple." Rachel said, giving him her coy smile. "I looked into the student directory. It said you lived above a fast-food restaurant, so I put two and two together that you worked at said fast-food restaurant. Am I mistaken?"

"You're not mistaken at all." Roxy said, as she came from behind Yuhiro. "Yuhiro here is not only my roommate, he's also my co-worker as well."

"Yuhiro?" Rachel repeated. "I guess I was right about Furutani having a friend. A close friend, for sure. Just like Zaizen."

Roxy laughed in response to this, much to Yuhiro's dismay. "Depends on who you're asking," she said, smiling at Rachel. "I'm Roxanne Matsuo, but everyone around here calls me Roxy. I'm the owner of Café Matsuo. Considering that you know Yuhiro, I'm guessing you're one of his classmates?"

"Rachel Miyake," she answered, bowing slightly. "I started attending Den Academy a while ago. I actually met Yuhiro on my first day, when he had his anxiety attack."

"Really?" Roxy asked, as Rachel nodded. "In that case, I should thank you for helping Yuhiro out. Tell you what," she said, getting a devilish glint in her eye, "I'll give Yuhiro the rest of the day off. So the two of you can spend time together."

"Wait. What?" Yuhiro said, startled. "But I was planning on taking my lunch break."

"You can take it with me." Rachel interjected, her gold-colored eyes also obtaining a devilish glint in them. "I haven't seen you at school recently, and could use some company." She then turned to Roxy, her eyes wide and sparkling. "Would that be okay with you? Pretty please?"

"Of course, sweetie!" Roxy immediately said. "After all, who couldn't say yes to that cute face?"

_Ah hell no_, Yuhiro thought. With Rachel showing up at Café Matsuo, it threw a monkey wrench in his plans to kick Hanoi butt with Herald and Progleo.

"But I really don't want to-."

"No excuses." Roxy told Yuhiro, who was now serious, as she pulled his ear and turned around so she could speak to him privately. She leaned to his ear and whispered, "Yuhiro, you honestly need to get out more. This girl could learn a thing or two from you that she can use when she's older. Don't worry about Hanoi; the others are taking care of it. Oh, and someone needs to take Progleo out for a walk." As if on cue, Progleo showed up, carrying his leash.

Yuhiro sighed. "All right. I'll give it a shot." He turned to Rachel. "Just let me put this apron away and I'll meet you at the front."

"See you in a few!" Rachel giggled as Yuhiro headed to put away his apron. This was going to be fun.

_At an apartment in Den City..._

Greg opened his eyes and blinked as the blue sphere around him vanished. He stood up from the couch in his and Rachel's apartment and stretched. Even though he was _very_ good at dueling, he still found the job tiring. Especially since _Rachel_ is the one who duels while he helps her in the real world as tech support.

He walked over to the desk in front of him and sat on the chair in front of it. He then plugged his Duel Disk into it and downloaded the data from his duels against the Knights of Hanoi. Greg then sent that data to an email address that Watchman provided him and Rachel with, along with a request for an anti-purge program if possible.

A few minutes later, Watchman sent Greg a reply, consisting of a "Thank you for looking into this. I'll investigate what you told me and notify you should something come up." Two notifications then appeared on Greg's computer, which he checked. The first one showed that a transfer had been made from an unknown source to Greg and Rachel's bank account. The second notification showed a file containing various programs that can be used in case of emergency, as well as during missions.

Greg frowned as he looked at his phone. _While this Watchman is generous_, he thought, _neither of us know who he is exactly_. And unfortunately, that made him partially annoyed.

_Where are you Rachel_, he thought as he dialed her phone number. She answered on the second ring.

"What is it, Greg?" Rachel asked.

"You know _exactly_ why I'm calling." Greg answered. "I thought we agreed that after lunch, you would come home and take over for me."

"Yeah, but... I made a change in the plan." Rachel responded.

"You made a change in the plan?" Greg muttered under his breath. "Rachel, listen to me. What we're doing right now is more important than whatever it is you're up to."

"I know." Rachel said. "But... I need to do this. It's important to me."

"In that case, could you at least tell me what you're doing? And what time you'll be back?"

"No." Rachel firmly replied. "I'll tell you when I want to, and that's that."

"Rachel, I didn't mean it like-."

"I have to go." Rachel interrupted. "I'll be back before dinner. I promise." She hung up after that. Greg cursed as he lowered his phone and turned his attention to his laptop. He activated the tracker that he placed in Rachel's phone. While she hated that it was there, she understood its importance.

He raised an eyebrow at her phone's location. Café Matsuo? From what he knew, the place was a fast-food restaurant owned and ran by a woman named Roxanne Matsuo. Why would Rachel go there?

He attempted to hack into Café Matsuo's computers, but soon found out he couldn't. The firewalls and security systems protecting Café Matsuo's computers were far too advanced. Which raised the question: Why would a fast-food restaurant have firewalls and security systems in the first place?

_Perhaps I need to look at this from a different perspective_, Greg thought, as he hacked the security cameras outside Café Matsuo to see what Rachel was doing. "Really, Rachel? A boy?" Greg muttered, as he stared at the laptop screen. He decided to play the audio starting from when Rachel approached the counter to see what is so _important_ this boy is to her. _Rachel, you're 11 years old, and this boy is freakin 16._ He scowled. _You better not be trying to date him!_

However, Greg's scowl disappeared from his face when Roxy said the boy's first name. _Yuhiro. Why was that name familiar?_ Greg wondered. His eyes widened upon realizing something important. Of course! Greg immediately exited the security camera window and opened up a file called _Project: VIII_. When he scrolled through the file and found what he was looking for, Greg took off his glasses and gasped.

"My God," was all Greg could say. "I didn't think this was possible." If Greg was right, then he and Rachel would have a lot more work ahead of them.

_At Café Matsuo..._

Rachel hung up as Yuhiro walked out of Café Matsuo's front door with Progleo. "Were you calling someone?"

"Just answering a call." Rachel answered, a strained smile on her face. "Had to deal with something for a quick minute, but it's done. Ready to head out?"

"I suppose so." Yuhiro replied, as the three of them started walking away from Café Matsuo. "Can I ask you something? Why exactly do you want to hang out with me out of all the people in Den Academy?"

Rachel didn't answer straight away. After a few moments, she turned her head and smiled at him. "I'll tell you what, ask me that question later in the evening. By then, I'll answer. Deal?"

Yuhiro sighed. "Deal. Where exactly do you want to go?"

Before Rachel could answer, there was a chime from Yuhiro's pocket. He pulled out his phone and opened his messages.

"Roxy said we should go to the public viewing plaza," he said. "Apparently, there's a food truck that sells the best hotdogs in Den City. And he's a friend of Roxy's, so he could give us a discount."

"That's actually a good idea." Rachel said. "And I'm curious as to who's dueling in LINK VRAINS."

Another chime came from Yuhiro's pocket, causing him to pull out his phone and read the message Roxy sent him. He snickered.

"What's so funny?" Rachel asked out of curiosity.

"Roxy wanted to let us know that, when we get there, we shouldn't call hotdogs Hot Dog Sandwiches." Yuhiro replied, rolling his eyes. Seriously? People thought that hot dogs were sandwiches? "It kinda ticks him off."

Rachel giggled. "I can see why. People assume that anything between two loaves of bread is a sandwich."

"I guess so." Still, Yuhiro wondered: Why did Roxy suggest a hotdog truck? Was there a specific reason for it?

"Say, Furutani. How long did you live in Den City?" Rachel asked, as the three of them turned a corner.

"My whole life." Yuhiro responded. "I've never left it."

"How come?"

"Never saw the need to. What about you?"

Rachel shook her head. "I was actually born here, believe it or not." She glanced at Yuhiro as she asked her next question. "Roxy said that you're her roommate. What happened to your parents?"

"My parents?" Yuhiro repeated. "I don't remember them. All I know was that I spent my childhood in the Den City Shelter. I assumed my whole life that my parents were dead."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be." Yuhiro bitterly said. "By thinking they're dead, it helps me move on. Besides, the closest I have to family is Roxy. And recently, Leo." Progleo barked in happiness in hearing that.

Rachel gave a sad smile. "I wasn't just going to say that. In fact, I was going to say something else."

"Like what?"

"That you're lucky."

Yuhiro stopped walking and turned to face Rachel. She did the same. "What exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you're lucky when compared to me." Rachel clarified, her smile replaced with a look of depression as she looked to the ground. "You may not have known your parents, but by not doing so, you don't have any memories of them. It means you're spared of any pain the memories you had with them would have brought you once they died."

Yuhiro and Rachel stood still in silence for a few minutes. Eventually, Yuhiro kneeled to her level and broke the silence. "What exactly happened to your parents, Miyake?"

She gave a sad smile. "A lot of things," she finally said. "None of which I want to talk about right now. And please, just call me Rachel."

Yuhiro stood up. "Alright. You can call me Yuhiro." He soon turned to Progleo upon hearing him whine. "You gotta do your business, little buddy? Then go do so near that bush over there." Progleo immediately ran over to the bush and did his business.

"That is one peculiar dog you got there, Yuhiro." Rachel said, giggling in the process.

"I still haven't potty trained him yet, but once I do, he'll learn not to pee at random spots." Yuhiro commented, as Progleo came back to him. The three of them then started walking again.

After a few minutes, Rachel suddenly said, "A shortcut! Let's go through here!" She grabbed Yuhiro's hand and pulled him to the left.

"H-Hey! Let go of me!" Yuhiro protested as she led him to an alleyway. "Are you nuts, Rachel? Whenever someone goes into an alleyway, it _never_ ends well."

"Oh, come on." Rachel pouted, still holding his hand. "That's just superstition. Besides, I want to get to the public viewing plaza ASAP."

"Then I'm afraid you're out of luck, little girl."

Rachel stopped at the center of an intersection in the alley. Yuhiro freed his hand from her grip and looked around. Sure enough, there were four thugs, two in front and two behind them.

The one with a small bearded ponytail spoke. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? A boy and his little sister enjoying a nice walk on a weekday."

"What's your point?" Rachel asked the thug, as she crossed her arms. Her expression showed no fear, but something else instead. "We're headed to the public viewing plaza."

"The public viewing plaza? I'm a nice guy. Perhaps we can figure something out, although it will cost you."

Yuhiro just sighed. "Why don't you just tell us what you want?" he asked, slightly annoyed. "I think it saves everyone a lot of time."

"Oh, we have a wise guy here, boys," the bearded ponytail thug said to his cohorts, causing them to snicker. "That attitude of yours is just going to cost you more. Although," he leered at Rachel as he looked her up and down, "I can think of an alternative form of-."

The next thing the thug knew, Rachel snapped. She pulled out something from her bag that looked like lipstick and fired two metal lines out of it at him, _tasering_ him in the process. As a result, the bearded ponytail thug fell onto the floor, convulsing.

"Boss!" one of the thugs cried out as they approached their leader.

"How do you like that, you SON OF A BITCH?" Rachel said. "PEDOPHILES LIKE YOU, LIKE ALL OF YOU, SHOULD NEVER EXIST!" She then glared daggers at the rest of them, who were very afraid. "TAKE THIS!" She then fired her lipstick taser at each of the remaining thugs, also causing them to fall onto the floor and convulse. By the time she was done, she was panting.

"Rachel!" Yuhiro said, kneeling to her level and grabbing her shoulders out of concern. "Stop! It's over. Let's just go to the plaza." They started walking, but Progleo wouldn't come with them, as he was scared at what he just saw. "Looks like I'm carrying you out of this alleyway." He picked up Progleo and headed with Rachel out of the alleyway.

By the time they got onto the main street, Progleo wanted to walk again, so Yuhiro put him down. It was at that part where Rachel started speaking.

"I'm sorry about what you saw," she said.

"Don't apologize." Yuhiro replied, as he turned his head to face her. "We won't talk about it until you're ready, okay?"

Upon hearing that, Rachel gave him a genuine smile. "Alright." Changing the subject, she asked, "How long until we reach the public viewing plaza?"

Yuhiro looked at the street signs, and, knowing where they were, pointed in a direction. "This way. About two minutes or so."

The two continued their walk, their heart rates going down. Thanks to the interruption, the awkward atmosphere around them went down.

"Rachel, I've been meaning to ask. Where did you get those healing stims?" Yuhiro asked.

"My guardian knows a close friend who has them," Rachel answered. "They help me relax whenever I have nightmares. Why? You want some?"

"I'm considering it." Yuhiro replied. "It might help with my anxiety attacks as well. Would you mind asking your guardian if I could have some healing stims?"

"Of course."

The three of them eventually made it to the public viewing plaza. Like Yuhiro had thought, there was a large crowd, watching the television screens. Right now, they showed Stregone, Go Onizuka, and Playmaker dueling. The crowd was cheering wildly for the three duelists.

Yuhiro looked at the edge of the crowd and found the food truck Roxy was talking about. Behind the counter was a man in a purple sweatshirt and apron with purple hair, grilling hotdogs. There was a sign above him that said "Café Nagi".

"There's the place Roxy was talking about." Yuhiro said, pointing it out to Rachel. She looked at it and raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't look like much." Rachel replied. "But as long as the food is good, then I don't care."

The three of them walked up to the counter. Luckily, there was no line. The guy behind the counter smiled at him.

"Hi there." Kusanagi said to them in a friendly tone. "What can I get you today?"

"I'll have a hotdog, potato wedges, and a Nestea." Yuhiro said. Turning to Rachel, he asked, "What do you want, Rachel?"

"I appreciate the chivalry, but I can pay for myself, Yuhiro." Rachel replied, smiling at him.

"Yuhiro?" Kusanagi interrupted, his voice full of surprise and startling them. "Sorry. Your name's Yuhiro Furutani, right?"

Yuhiro raised an eyebrow. "Correct. How exactly do you know my name?"

"Your friend Roxy told me." Kusanagi sheepishly told me. "My name's Shoichi Kusanagi. She mentioned your name several times when I went to Café Matsuo for lunch."

Yuhiro was confused. This guy went to Café Matsuo?

His thoughts, however, were interrupted by what Kusanagi said next. "You go to Den Academy, right? I think you might know a friend of mine. Yusaku Fujiki?"

Yuhiro's eyes widened in surprise before he narrowed them again. If this man knew Yusaku, that meant...

He looked more closely at the storage shelves behind Kusanagi. There was a slight wavering to them, suggesting they were computer screens.

_So he's Playmaker's ally_, Yuhiro thought. _He must have tracked Roxy down and introduced himself_. Usually, Roxy would be the one to take the initiative and introduce herself, but for someone else to go to _her_ instead? That was a complete first.

Out loud, Yuhiro finally said, "I do know Fujiki, but not too well yet. I'd call him a classmate instead of a friend. He mostly keeps to himself."

Kusanagi nodded in understanding. "Yup. That sounds like him." He finished grilling Yuhiro's hotdog and placed it and a carton of potato wedges on a tray, along with his Nestea.

Yuhiro was about to pay for the meal when Kusanagi stopped him. "No need," he said to him. "This ones on the house."

Due to Yuhiro's honor, he didn't like receiving things for free. But since the guy insisted... "Alright. But only if you stop by Café Matsuo. I'm pretty sure Roxy would be more than happy to give you a burger combo free of charge."

Kusanagi smiled. "Deal. I'll bring Yusaku too, if he agrees to go. It would help him to try a different food out, wouldn't you agree?"

After Yuhiro took his tray from the counter, he waited for Rachel to give her order. While Kusanagi offered her food free of charge, she insisted on paying the full amount.

"Thank you for the offer," she said to him, "but it's only fair that I pay for what I get." Kusanagi shrugged and accepted her money.

"You know, I just want to thank you guys." Kusanagi told them before they went to find a table, getting their attention. "You're the first people to not call hotdogs Hot Dog Sandwiches."

"No problem." Rachel said, turning her head to face him. "After all, a hotdog isn't a sandwich because not only are hotdogs cylindrical in shape, they're also vertical in orientation."

"Exactly!" Kusanagi agreed with her, happy to see someone that thinks just like him. "Several of the people in Den City say that a hotdog is a sandwich. Especially that motorcycle girl with long, pink hair." In hearing this, Yuhiro turned his head to fully pay attention to Kusanagi. "She said that any filling between a couple of slices of bread is a sandwich. When I tried to make a rebuttal, she told me not to debate with her on the topic, as the customer was _always_ right. But that's something I don't always agree with, that's for sure."

_Did Ghost Girl visit Café Nagi? If so, when?_ Yuhiro wondered. Suddenly, he was worried that Ghost Girl managed to figure out that Yusaku was Playmaker. However, he snapped out of his thoughts when Rachel got his attention.

"Are we going to find a table or not?" she asked him. Yuhiro nodded, and the two of them, along with Progleo, sat down at a nearby table. "You know, I'm not familiar with Yusaku Fujiki. Is he in our class?"

"Yes." Yuhiro answered her. "He usually sits in the back row. Tall guy, blue and pink hair."

"Oh! I remember now!" Rachel realized. "He's the same guy that the 'Neanderthal', Shima, yells at."

Yuhiro couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Rachel called Naoki a Neanderthal. It would make sense, considering that he not only lacked knowledge, but also yelled most of the time.

Rachel took a bite of her hotdog. "Okay, this is the best!" she said. "I really like it."

Yuhiro took a bite out of his hotdog and nodded. "Yup. I have to agree with you there."

The two of them ate in silence, while on occasion, Yuhiro gave a potato wedge or two to Progleo for him to eat. _He really is a peculiar creature_, Yuhiro thought, as he watched the cub chow down on the potato wedges.

They continued eating in silence until Rachel broke it. "You're a duelist, right? Are you any good at dueling?"

Yuhiro shrugged. "Believe it or not, I'm pretty good, simply because I keep up with the times. What about you? Are you a duelist?"

Rachel shook her head. "No, although I do have a deck, and I plan on dueling when I get older. So I can be like one of the duelists on the screens." She then pointed to the screens, which showed a replay of Playmaker using Decode Talker to defeat a Knight of Hanoi.

"Like Playmaker?" Yuhiro asked.

"Partially." Rachel replied. "But also like Raguel as well."

Yuhiro's response to this was to raise an eyebrow. "And why's that?"

"Because he's different from the rest, just like Playmaker." Rachel told him. "While people see Playmaker and Raguel as heroes, when I look at them, I see them as people who are special. I don't know why they're in LINK VRAINS fighting the Knights, but what I do know is that they're doing it for more than just glory, don't you think?"

Yuhiro was puzzled by what Rachel said. She obviously didn't know his identity as Raguel, but she did paid attention to detail. "Quite observant of you. Perhaps if they're still around one day, you can ask them yourself."

"And that is something I plan on-." Rachel suddenly stopped talking. Yuhiro looked up from his food and saw she was looking over his shoulder. He turned and looked.

There was a man several meters away. He had brown hair, with blue eyes, a small moustache, and glasses. He also wore a suit jacket with a buttoned up white shirt. If Yuhiro had to guess, the man was Rachel's guardian. The man had a look of concern on his face and made a beckoning gesture to Rachel.

In seeing this, Rachel sighed. "Excuse me," she said, as she picked up her tray and walked over to the guy. After a few minutes, she came back, looking disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Yuhiro," Rachel said, "but I have to go home, as it's getting late."

"Was that your guardian?"

Rachel nodded. "Yeah. His name is Greg, and wants me to come home so I can get my homework done."

Yuhiro glanced at Greg, who narrowed his eyes at him. He then turned his gaze to Rachel. "I hope you get home safe."

"Thank you. I will." Rachel said as she turned to leave, but then turned and smiled at Yuhiro.

"Oh! I almost forgot about your question."

"My question?" Yuhiro repeated before he remembered what he asked Rachel earlier. About why she chose to hang out with him out of everyone else at Den Academy.

"It's only fair that, after today, I answer it," she told it. "And the answer is this: You accept me for who I am."

Before Yuhiro could ask what she meant by that, Rachel continued, "I have to go. I'll explain further the next time I get the chance." She then turned and ran over to Greg. The two departed the plaza afterwards.

"Hello, Furutani."

Yuhiro turned to the voice and saw Yusaku sit down in the seat Rachel left vacant. Once he sat down, he removed his Duel Disk from his wrist and placed it on the table. Yuhiro, in response, did the same.

"About time you did that, Yuhiro!" Herald said, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk and turning to face him. "Do you know how long I had to be quiet while you spent time with another human?"

"It could be worse." Ai said, emerging from Yusaku's Duel Disk and getting Herald's attention. "We spent all day hunting down Knights of Hanoi and got no-!" Suddenly, Ai heard chewing sounds. When Ai turned to what the sound was, his eyes widened. "Progleo, can it be really you?"

When Progleo looked up at who was speaking to him, he sat on his hind legs excitedly, happy to see Ai again. He then started licking Ai, who stretched over to hug him.

"I missed you so much!" Ai said, as he got smothered by Progleo's licking.

"I'm so happy to see you again, Dark Ignis!" Progleo told him.

"So this is the sentient Cyberse creature you have, Furutani?" Yusaku asked, as Progleo got up and approached Yusaku. Yusaku, in response, petted him on the head.

"In public, I call him Leo." Yuhiro started to explain, before Herald interrupted.

"But his real name is Progleo." Herald finished. "Speaking of sentient creatures, I wonder Ai. Do you have Linkuriboh with you? I'm pretty sure Progleo would love seeing his playmate again."

"You mean Linky?" Ai asked, to which Herald nodded. "No. If I have to guess, he's in the Cyberse World."

"Well, it's better that he's safe in the Cyberse World than in the Hanoi's clutches." Herald contemplated.

"That we can agree on." Ai agreed. "You know Herald, we should tell Yuhiro about the fond memories we had with each other in the Cyberse World, as well as of the other Ignis. It's something he'll definitely enjoy."

"Which can be told _later_." Yusaku interrupted, as Ai sighed and said, "Fine. He's all yours."

Yuhiro nodded in understanding. While hearing about the Cyberse World from Ai and Herald was interesting, as well as about the other Ignis, they had other matters to discuss. "Did you learn anything from the Knights you defeated?"

Yusaku shook his head. "I was close once, but then he got purged before he could spill the beans. You?"

"I managed to interrogate one before he got purged." Yuhiro answered. "I learned the name of the person who created the 'Another' Virus. A woman named Baira."

Yusaku narrowed his eyes. "Baira... Are you sure it's her?" Yuhiro nodded. "We should get to tracking her down then ASAP."

"That would be the most logical move." Herald agreed with Yusaku. "Letting the others know would also be another logical move."

"Kusanagi and I will see if we can find anything about her." Yusaku said. "We'll let you and Roxy know if we cover something important."

"That will be easier than you think, Yusaku." Kusanagi said, drawing both Yuhiro and Yusaku's attention to him. "Apparently, from what I've heard, the Hanoi have been quite busy with SOL Technologies lately."

"What do you mean?" Yuhiro asked.

Kusanagi's jaw dropped in hearing that. "You mean you haven't heard? Alright. Give me a second." He turned off the grill, grabbed a laptop in the truck, and brought it over to where Yuhiro and Yusaku were. "This article was posted yesterday. It talks about how SOL Technologies created a 100% AI Duelist to take down the Hanoi. The project was authorized by Kitamura, who's the new security manager after replacing Zaizen."

"Can't believe that dumbass actually did something." Yuhiro said, as he read over the article.

"And I can't believe he made more of those stupid robot duelists." Herald added as he scanned the article. "Sheesh. This guy has no brains at all."

"Nevertheless, he'll still buy some time." Yusaku noted. "Again, should we find something, we'll let the both of you know as soon as we can."

"Right." Yuhiro looked at the sky and scowled. Guess time flew faster than he expected, because the sun was already setting. "It's getting late, and I promised Roxy that I would get back before dark." He stood up from his seat, picked up his Duel Disk, and said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Fujiki."

"Same here." Yusaku replied.

"Bye, Progleo!" Ai said. "I hope we get an _uninterrupted_ chance to catch up. Same goes to you, Herald."

"Bye, Dark Ignis!" Progleo said back, hurrying over to Yuhiro's side.

Yuhiro was about to walk away from Café Nagi when Yusaku spoke to him. "Furutani, be careful about Miyake. I have a bad feeling about her."

"I do get the sense she isn't telling me everything." Yuhiro acknowledged, turning around to face him. "But I will keep that in mind." Yuhiro then turned back around and resumed walking away from Café Nagi.

_Fifteen minutes later..._

"It was so good to see the Dark Ignis again!" Progleo cheerfully said, as Yuhiro and him walked took the scenic, yet longer route home. Yuhiro suggested it, mostly to avoid the thugs he encountered with Rachel earlier, but just so he could think to himself.

"The Dark Ignis's name is Ai, Progleo." Herald told him, causing Progleo to raise an eyebrow.

"Like as in an A.I?" Progleo wondered.

"No. As in an eyeball." Herald stated. "It will surely trigger him."

As Herald and Progleo were talking, Yuhiro was thinking about the three main events that happened today. First, he found out who was responsible for the Anothers. _Baira_, he thought. _I don't know how long it takes me, but when I find you, you'll cure the 'Another' victims. As well as lead me to Infearno and Revolver yourself._

Then there was Rachel. _When she attacked those thugs using her lipstick taser, her face showed extreme fury and pain. As though she went through something horrible in her childhood that caused her to act this way. Almost like... me._ Yuhiro then shook his head. There was no way she could understand his pain, nor could he hers. Not unless they've been through it themselves.

Finally, there was meeting Kusanagi, Yusaku's partner. _Never thought I'd meet Yusaku's partner-in-crime today, Roxy, _he thought. If Yusaku and Kusanagi were working together, then Kusanagi must have had a sibling who went through the Lost Incident. Just like him, Yusaku, and Miyu. He was about to join in on Herald and Progleo's current conversation when he heard a voice.

"Are you done with dueling, kiddo?"

Yuhiro stopped walking. He turned to his right and saw _Emma_ of all people talking to Aoi near the bridge. He frowned. Whenever Emma talked to someone, it was always about business. So what exactly did Emma want from Aoi?

"What makes you say that?" Aoi asked as she looked to the ground.

"Why else would you stop logging into LINK VRAINS?" Emma replied, as she looked out into the sunset.

"You know why." Aoi said, getting Emma's attention. "It's because of my brother. Akira... he... he hates it when I put myself in danger." Her eyes widened as if to make a point. "And I can't say I blame him."

"Oh, is that right?" Emma turned her head back to the sunset. "I remember a time when Blue Angel did what _she_ wanted. Not what _others_ wanted from her. I get it, you don't want to scare your brother, but this is _your_ life." She turned her head to face Aoi. "So go _live_ it."

"But Akira will-."

"Look, I didn't come here to produce your future. But if I were you, I'd never let anyone take my life away from me. Not a chance."

"Oh..." was all Aoi said.

Yuhiro narrowed his eyes as he overhead what Emma said to Aoi. He had to admit, she had a point there.

"Is that the mean lady we encountered in LINK VRAINS?" Progleo asked.

"Shh." Yuhiro told the cub. "I'll tell you later."

"Speaking of taking lives," Emma continued, "I know who tried to take yours."

Yuhiro's eyes widened in surprise in hearing this. He knew Emma was a skilled hacker, and he also knew she'd be able to find the information she needed in a heartbeat. She was also willing to share the information, in exchange for a price. Yet a single question rose in his head: Why was Emma sharing this information with Aoi for _free_?

"The same lady who's deleting everyone." Emma said, piquing Aoi's curiosity. "The virus has the same signature. You were the guinea pig to this whole pandemic, but I don't know why I'm telling you, you're retired, right?" She then started to walk to her motorcycle. "Let some other hero solve this mess."

As Emma started up her motorcycle, she turned to Aoi. "Oh, but in case you're interested, the culprit's name is Baira. Ciao." And Emma rode off, leaving Aoi alone to watch the sunset. Or so she thought.

Yuhiro scowled as he walked away from the scene with Progleo. He remembered how once, he got the same 'talk' from Emma, along with her mind games. While it hurt, it did help him get through a problem. One that he didn't want to think about right now.

"So is someone going to answer my question from earlier?" Progleo asked, as they walked down the street.

"Yeah, Progleo. That was her. And you can call her Emma." Yuhiro answered him. "Also, she isn't necessarily mean. To be honest, I don't know how to explain it to you at all."

"Well, you did a good job explaining what happened between the two of you during your duel against her." Herald said. "But we should change the subject, as I can sense your discomfort. Now that the young Zaizen knows who put her in a coma, perhaps that can motivate her to fight against the Hanoi."

"Possibly." Yuhiro agreed with Herald. "If we find out where Baira's going to strike next, we can send a message to her. Whether she takes the opportunity or not, that's up to her."

_At Café Matsuo..._

Yuhiro opened the door to Café Matsuo. The store was closed, but he had his own key.

"Hey," Roxy said as she walked downstairs from the second floor, holding her tablet. "Didn't I tell you to get back before dark?"

Yuhiro sighed. "On the way back, I overheard Emma's conversation with Aoi. Which took longer than I thought."

Roxy scowled as she followed him, along with Progleo, into the backroom. "And why exactly were you eavesdropping on their conversation? Hell, why was Emma even _talking_ to Aoi?"

"Because Emma found out who infected Aoi in the first place." Herald answered. "And this woman is the same woman causing the 'Another' pandemic. Also-." But before Herald could continue, Yuhiro interrupted.

"The woman's name is Baira." He sat down on his chair while Roxy sat down on hers. "I intend to track her down any chance I get."

"You mean this woman?" Roxy asked as she turned on the monitors. What Yuhiro saw next shocked even him. The monitors showed three figures defeating Kitamura's AI army. While Yuhiro recognized one of the figures as Dancho, there was a second figure was a man with dark and light blue hair and a white lab coat with black lines, as well as a silver-yellow eyepiece over his left eye. The third figure, whom Yuhiro assumed to be Baira, was a woman with red and orange hair and a sleeveless white lab coat with pink lines, as well as a silver-yellow eyepiece over her left eye.

"While you spent the day with Miyake, I scoured the news." Roxy continued. "Kitamura thinks those AI's of his have any chance against the Hanoi? He must be deluded."

"That we can agree on, Roxy." Yuhiro said. "Oh, and I met Kusanagi today."

"Yeah? What are your thoughts on him?"

"Very nice guy. Gave me a free hotdog. I told him you'd give him free burgers sometime."

Roxy smiled as she glanced at Yuhiro. "It'd be my pleasure."

"He and Fujiki are tracking Baira down while Kitamura and his AI's keep them busy as we speak."

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation," Herald said to the two humans, "but what exactly are we going to do with Baira?"

"Simple." Roxy stretched her hands. "We're going to help track her down, and then Yuhiro's going to kick her ass." Progleo barked in agreement.

"I'm not going to be kicking her ass. Aoi is." Yuhiro replied, causing her to turn her chair to face him.

"That's not up to you. That's up to _her_." Roxy emphasized.

"I'm well aware of that." Yuhiro told her, also turning his chair. "But regardless of what happens, I got a feeling that Blue Angel is coming back to LINK VRAINS. And if we find Baira's location, then we can make it easier for her to get the justice she deserves."

"In other words, Yuhiro wants to send a message to Aoi regarding Baira's location, in the hopes of her coming back." Herald deduced, causing Yuhiro to put a hand to his face. "After all, should Blue Angel win, it could motivate her to fight against the Hanoi."

"Or she might leave permanently after that." Roxy rebutted.

"Come on, Roxy. For God's sake, YOU MADE ME USE A SCHOOLGIRL DISGUISE!" Yuhiro stated. "You owe me for that."

Roxy sighed as she turned her chair back to the monitors. "Fine. But only after we find Baira's location."

Yuhiro smiled as he turned his chair back to the monitors. "Deal."

_At the Zaizen Residence..._

Aoi was furious. So much that, by the time she went to her room, she threw her bag onto her bed.

"Ghost Girl just shows up and thinks she can lecture me?" Aoi said to herself. "What does she know?" She would have continued, but her Duel Disk beeped, getting her attention. Curious, Aoi walked over and picked it up. Upon inspection, she found out that she got a message.

"Furutani sent a message?" Aoi muttered as she clicked on the message to read it.

_Zaizen, _

_If you're reading this message, then you still probably haven't found a reason to duel again. Perhaps what I'm about to tell you might help in making your decision._

_Roxy and I found where Baira will strike next. If you want justice for what she did to you, just follow the coordinates I sent you._

_Djeoi37495hddiwyriegeithdni9dej_

_Regards,_

_Furutani._

_P.S. Progleo says hi._

Aoi's eyes widened in reading the message. _In my hands are the details to get justice for what's been done to me_, she thought. Yet one question was on her mind: Should she take it or not?

_At the Hanoi Stronghold..._

Faust had a look of disappointment and concern on his face as he and Baira watched the recording of Raguel interrogating the Knight regarding her location. Unfortunately, since the Knight spilled the beans, it was only a matter of time until Raguel and Playmaker got to work on tracking them down.

"This is most disappointing." Faust commented, as he swiped the monitor from him. "While SOL won't be bothering us for a while, it's only a matter of time until we have to deal with Raguel and Playmaker."

"Yes, Faust." Baira agreed. "But Raguel and Playmaker isn't what worries me. It's the plan being devised by Dr. Kogami."

This got Faust's attention as Baira continued. "I agree that the Ignis must be eliminated, more than ever, now that we got two instead of one to destroy. It's just that I may be fearful that we may be taking it too far. And Revolver will be the one who pays the price!"

All Faust did in response was close his eyes. "Baira, don't let your emotions cloud your reasoning. Even though you feel that Revolver is family, the mission must come first."

"I know. But don't pretend you're not worried about Revolver as well." Baira said to him. "As he is the leader of the Knights of Hanoi, he will be the one to shoulder the blame."

"The only option is to destroy the Ignis, and eliminate the Cyberse before Dr. Kogami's plan is ready to launch. And the first step is defeating Playmaker and Raguel." Faust stated. "Which you've failed to accomplish. Your virus was supposed to find Playmaker and Raguel and eliminate them. But you've only been successful in turning everyone else but _them_ into 'Anothers'."

"What if Baira's failure is a blessing in disguise instead?" a new voice said, causing both Baira and Faust to turn to an individual materializing in the Hanoi Stronghold. The figure was a male of medium height, with red hair and blue eyes. He also wore a white lab coat with orange lines, as well as a silver-yellow eyepiece over his left eye. In his left hand, he was carrying a coffee tray, with three coffee cups on it. "With so many duelists having become 'Anothers', as well as Playmaker and Raguel now knowing who was responsible, they'll certainly be on the hunt for you." As if he almost forgot, he gestured to the coffee tray he was carrying. "Coffee, anyone?"

"What are you suggesting, Lord Kazuma?" Faust asked, as he took one of the coffees from the coffee tray.

"Simple." Lord Kazuma replied. "An old strategy known as 'Divide and Conquer'. I'll intercept Raguel the first chance I get and acquire his Ignis, while Baira intercepts Playmaker."

"An excellent suggestion." Baira said as she took her coffee cup from the coffee tray and turned to Faust. "As Lord Kazuma said, I'll be on the lookout for Playmaker. Perhaps we'll run into each other. Then when we do, I'll put him to sleep."

With the plan having been made, Faust, Baira, and Lord Kazuma raised their coffee cups and said, "To humanity's future!" The three of them then took a drink of their coffees.

Lord Kazuma's smile turned to a mischievous one as he lowered his coffee cup from his mouth. "Let's get the show started," he said to Baira and Faust, "shall we?"

**Card Gallery**

_Debris Sweeper (LV: 1/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)_

_Effect: If this card is used to Link Summon: You can destroy 1 card your opponent controls, and if you do, inflict 500 damage. _

_Barbarian Hammer (Equip Spell Card)_

_Effect: Equip only to a 'Cyreath' monster. When the equipped monster destroys a monster by battle: You can destroy 1 card your opponent controls, and if you do, inflict 1000 damage to your opponent. _

_Cyreath Lead (Normal Spell Card)_

_Effect: When this card is activated: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from your hand. _

_Pandora's Box (Normal Spell Card)_

_Effect: When this card is activated: You can draw until you have five cards in your hand. At the End Phase: Discard 1 'Cyreath' monster from your hand; otherwise, take 2000 damage. _

_Link Reanimation (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: Target Cyberse Link Monsters in your GY; Special Summon them to unused Main Monster Zones on your field, but their effects are negated; also, their ATK is reduced to 0. During the End Phase: Destroy all Cyberse Link Monsters Special Summoned by this effect, and take 1000 damage for each monster Special Summoned by this effect (this is not optional)._

_Militia Ogre (LR: 1/Fiend/Fire/ATK: 0/__⬇️__️)_

_Effect: 1 Fiend monster. When this card is Link Summoned: You can banish all Spell and Trap cards from your GY, and if you do, this card gains 800 ATK for each card banished by this effect. Once per turn: You can shuffle 1 banished Spell/Trap card into your deck, then target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy it, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to its original ATK. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase the turn you activate this effect. _

_Cyreath Teumessian Fox (LR: 2/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 1000/__↙️__⬇️__)_

_Effect: 2 'Cyreath' monsters. While you control a 'Cyreath' monster, this card cannot be targeted by card effects. If this card is used for the Link Summon of a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, the Link Summoned monster that used this card as Link Material can attack your opponent directly this turn._

**QOTC**

_Which anime do you think I got Yuhiro's schoolgirl disguise from? Note: When answering this QOTC, please put down a name that isn't Guest, Anonymous, etc. so that I can give you a shoutout if you get it correct. _

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 16: The Magician's Trap. Having made her decision, Aoi logs back into LINK VRAINS as Blue Angel to get justice on Baira. Anticipating that the Knights of Hanoi will potentially hold Blue Angel hostage again, Yuhiro logs in as well to provide a helping hand, only for him to fall into a trap, where he'll have to duel to get out of there alive..._

**Responses to Reviews and Authors Notes**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Unnamed, Unknown, Guest, Team Rocket, Anonymous, Guest, Guest, Zeromk7, Guest, Guest, Anonymous, and Guest for reviewing Chapter 14 of Obscured Truth.

I'm back, everyone! Sorry for the really long hiatus, as there was a lot to cover in this chapter! Before I go to review what happened in this chapter, I just want to say three things. One: With the Coronavirus being spread around the world, I hope that everyone is healthy and safe. Two: I want to apologize for the long wait. Not only was there a lot to cover this chapter, but I also had schoolwork as well. Three: I want to thank you very much for waiting. As a reward, I'll make a small announcement prior to answering reviews. With that out of the way, let's talk about what happened.

The first thing that happened this chapter were Go Onizuka's, Playmaker's, and Raguel's duels against the Knights of Hanoi. I just want to give HunterHQ credit for providing a duel idea for Go, which was incorporated into this chapter. It also shows that no matter how hard he's hit, he'll always get right back up again. For Playmaker's duel, I do hope you enjoyed seeing Gatling Ogre and its OC Link Monster, Militia Ogre (in my opinion, Lotten from 5D's utilized Gatling Ogre in a much better fashion. If he had Militia Ogre, he'd be even deadlier). As for Raguel's duel, I had Raguel duel against a Knight that used the _Lair of Darkness_ Structure Deck. Once the duel was over, Raguel interrogated the Knight and learned who was responsible for turning people into Anothers: Baira.

The second thing that happened this chapter was Yuhiro being forced to spend time with Rachel. Along the way, Rachel snapped and tasered four thugs, whom she called pedophiles. How does this affect her character? You'll have to keep on reading and see.

We also see Yuhiro meeting Kusanagi officially for the first time at Café Nagi. A few minutes after meeting Kusanagi, Rachel told Yuhiro that she had to go with her guardian Greg. After leaving, Yusaku approached him to regroup and see if any information was obtained. He even got the chance to meet Progleo as well. I originally planned on having Ai and Herald tell Yuhiro about the Cyberse World, but ultimately decided to move it to a different chapter.

The third thing that happened was Yuhiro listening in on Emma and Aoi's conversation near the bridge. This leads to him sending Aoi a list of coordinates as to where Baira will appear next, so that she can get justice.

Last but not least, there's the small introduction of the Hanoi's Secretary, or the second of the OC winners for the contest: Lord Kazuma, submitted by Electriuser. His dueling debut will be next chapter against Raguel, so stay tuned for what's to come.

Oh, and before I forget, in this chapter, Greg opened up a file known as _Project: VIII_. What do you think it is? Let me know your thoughts.

Now onto the **announcement**: I thought about it for a while, and decided to release a Profile page for Obscured Truth alongside the story itself. It will be released once the Another arc is wrapped up, with weekly profiles being released alongside the chapters. These profiles will be made by Yuhiro and Roxy, with Herald adding in his own comments. I hope you're excited for what's to come!

Anyways, let's get to the reviews:

HunterHQ: I'm glad you enjoyed Chapter 14. Sorry that I was inactive for a while, as I had a lot of stuff to do, as well as content to cover for the chapter. To answer your question: No, Quinton didn't get a chance to see the other kids. I also agree with you; considering how Rachel is 11 years old and mischievous, she is quite a tease. As for your questions regarding Watchman: He'll explain what happened in a later chapter.

Guest: Yes, something happened to Watchman that caused him to lose his strength. Once he gets it back, he should be able to help out more.

Unknown: Loved your reference from Kung Fu Panda 2. Chapter 14 was all about showing how even though some characters had unhappy beginnings, there's hope for their futures.

Guest: No. Aoi and Yuhiro are not going to be a couple. They are, however, going to be really good friends.

Team Rocket: Please don't be afraid for Yuhiro. He's not getting a harem, nor will there be any Yuki-Rito style sexual accidents in the story at all.

Anonymous: I think waiting and seeing is the best idea. After all, those who wait will have their patience rewarded.

Guest: You'll have to keep reading to get your answer.

Guest: I'm glad you liked the chapter. And to answer your question, I plan on Miyu using Trickstars, just to show the bond between her and Aoi. I agree that WATER archetypes such as Nekroz, Mermail, and even the White and White Aura are powerful. But I already decided on Trickstars.

Zeromk7: Thank you very much. If you want to send a potential OC idea, just send me a private message. I may or may not use it, so keep that in mind. Just don't forget to review this chapter.

Guest: You're not the only one with concerns regarding Tenyi Spirit – Nahata's effect. What I'll probably do is give him an anime effect.

Guest: Yes. It will be explained how Yuhiro got his Cyreath deck.

Anonymous: Interesting. I didn't know that.

Guest: I can't answer this question directly, but I'll tell you this: Infearno and Yuhiro have one thing in common with each other.

Thanks for reading Chapter 15 of Obscured Truth. Don't forget to spread the word about anyone who you think will enjoy this story. Any questions, opinions, or concerns? Put them on your reviews. Want to know when the next chapter is released? Make sure you follow both the story and me for notifications. As always, constructive criticism is welcome because it helps for improvement. Lastly, I hope that you are all safe and healthy, wherever you are in the world. See you next time, as the next chapter is one you don't want to miss!


	16. Chapter 16: The Magician's Trap

**Update**: A lot of you have requested me to check Tenyi Spirit – Nahata's effect for Chapter 3. Looking at it, I decided for the sake of the duel to give it an anime effect. By the time this chapter is posted, there will be a minor update in Chapter 3 as well.

And with that, onto the chapter!

**Chapter 16: The Magician's Trap**

_In the Hanoi Stronghold..._

"Everything is almost ready," Lord Kazuma said to himself, as he pressed a few buttons on his tablet. Immediately, several bright dots came together to form two rings, one inside the other. Soon, the rings began to not only grow, but also gain a black shade in the middle to connect them. Hieroglyphic symbols were then drawn in the black shade.

"Exactly what are you doing?" Infearno asked, not bothering to look at what Lord Kazuma was doing. Instead, he was looking at the video footage Faust sent him, where one of the Knights threw Baira under the bus. It was evident that Infearno was concerned for Baira, as both Raguel and Playmaker, along with their allies, will be hunting for her.

"Just preparing everything I need for my duel against Raguel." Lord Kazuma replied, satisfied with what he got. Pressing a few buttons on his Duel Disk, the ring dissolved into bright dots once again. They then entered his Duel Disk.

"Your duel?" Infearno asked, curious.

"That's correct." Lord Kazuma confirmed, as he reached to the nearby table to pick up his coffee. He then proceeded to drink it for a few seconds before putting it down again. "I thought it would be a good idea to see how strong Raguel really is."

"And you didn't bother telling Revolver nor Dr. Kogami about this..." Infearno muttered, as Lord Kazuma walked up to his right side.

"By dueling against Raguel, it will help me learn just what kind of duelist he really is. After all, he along with Playmaker have been a pain in the Hanoi's ass lately." Lord Kazuma said.

"They and their Ignis's have both been pains indeed." Infearno agreed. He turned his head to look at Lord Kazuma. "Regardless of what your goals are, I intend on dueling Raguel myself. Understand?"

Lord Kazuma's response to this was to simply laugh. "You? Duel Raguel? Again?" This comment got his attention as Lord Kazuma continued. "May I remind you of what happened the last time you dueled him? You lost! Even with all that power you have, you still hesitated! I wonder what your wife would think of-."

The next thing Lord Kazuma knew, Infearno slapped him with the back of his right hand, causing him to fall onto the floor.

"Don't you ever mention my wife again, Kazuma!" Infearno roared at him as his scar glowed hot red. "Do you understand? Because if you don't, I'll unleash my wrath on you in a duel here and now!"

Lord Kazuma snickered as he got up and wiped the blood stain on his lip. "Oh, don't worry, I do understand." He turned to face him. "And for the record, it's _Lord_ Kazuma." He then dematerialized out of the stronghold.

Infearno took a deep breath before turning back to the monitor. _Lord Kazuma might be a powerful duelist_, he thought, _but that attitude will one day cost him_. Unexpectedly, Malacoda appeared beside him.

"Troubled, master?" Malacoda asked him. "You were..."

"I am fine, Malacoda." Infearno affirmed. Turning off the monitor, Infearno pulled out a card from his deck, and Cherubini soon appeared in front of him.

"What is thy bidding, my master?" the fallen angel asked, kneeling in front of Infearno.

"Scour LINK VRAINS for Raguel and Playmaker." Infearno commanded. "My comrade Baira will now be targeted by them, so keep an eye on her. If something or someone threatens her, eliminate them."

"Understood." Cherubini soon vanished into flames, with Malacoda doing the same, leaving Infearno alone. After making sure no one was looking, he pulled out a locket that was underneath his white colored clergy shirt. Opening it, it showed him with a woman that had silver, blond hair.

_My love, what would you think of me if you saw what I've become_, Infearno thought, as he stared at the locket.

_In LINK VRAINS..._

"Hey boss! Where in the world of LINK VRAINS are you hiding out?" Pigeon called out, using his wing to narrow his vision as he looked for Frog from side to side.

"Psst! Down here!" a voice replied, causing Pigeon to turn behind him. Sure enough, it was Frog, hiding on a nearby rooftop. "And keep it quiet, you dodo bird!" Pigeon then flew down to where Frog was.

"The Knights of Hanoi could be lurking anywhere." Frog explained to Pigeon. "Over there, way up there high in the sky, they're a stealthy bunch."

"Then we should be anywhere but _here_. Now that everyone else has left." Pigeon concluded, but Frog wouldn't have it.

"No. You see, as journalists, it's our duty to report from the frontlines, no matter how dangerous it may be." Frog emphasized, hoping to inspire Pigeon. "We print the story when no one else will."

"And nothing to do with the fact that we need a big scoop to refill our bank accounts, right? After you wasted all our money, huh?"

"KEEP IT DOWN!" Frog ordered Pigeon, scaring him. "Before the Hanoi finds us!"

"Okay, fine!" Pigeon said, turning away from Frog. "Guess I'm giving you the silent treatment." Suddenly, Pigeon noticed something. "Hey, what's that over there?" he asked, pointing to the ripples in front of them.

"Don't know." Frog replied. Unfortunately for them, Baira stepped out of the ripples, causing them to panic and hug each other for dear life. "She's... one of the Hanoi."

"Not just anyone, but she's one of the three individuals who took out SOL Technologies' army." Pigeon added.

"Just the pair I was looking for," Baira said. "Do you know where I can find Playmaker?"

"We don't, we don't, we don't!" Frog answered.

"But that's not what the deep web says." Baira replied, as she approached the duo. "How are you always the first on the scene for every duel involving Playmaker?"

"It's luck, just sheer dumb luck!" Frog answered, now pleading for his life along with Pigeon.

"Listen to him; we're not that great at our job!" Pigeon begged.

"Really? So you don't know where he is?" Baira asked once more, causing Frog and Pigeon to nod their heads. "Oh. Perhaps he'll show up here. If I go ahead and turn you both into Anothers, that is."

"I don't think so!" a new voice said, causing everyone to turn their heads to a nearby tower, which Blue Angel hopped down from to face Baira.

"Blue Angel..." Baira muttered as she stared down at her.

"Uh-huh. And you're Baira, right? The one who created the stupid virus that's turning everyone into Anothers?" Baira simply narrowed her eyes at Blue Angel. "A little ghost told me you tested the original on _me_."

"Please don't tell me you're still upset about that little incident." Baira replied, a look of boredom on her face.

Blue Angel's mouth opened slightly before replying. "Uh, yeah. It's not just something you get over and forget."

"I don't believe I ever said you should forget about what happened to you and move on with your life." Baira calmly stated. "Without the data I gathered from you, none of this would've ever happened. In other words, you should feel proud for being a medical pioneer."

"What are you talking about?" Blue Angel inquired, now clearly upset. "I don't feel proud or anything. I mean, being a pioneer does sound cool, but I'm not in the hurt business. Not when it's hurting everyone!"

Baira closed her eyes. "So young, idealistic, and naive." She reopened them. "You may disagree with my methods, but what I'm doing is actually for the greater good. Outside of LINK VRAINS, in the real world, I'm a doctor."

"Then they should revoke your license. Permanently."

"I've learned that you must sacrifice a little to save a lot." Baira said. "And since you're so young, I don't think its something you'll ever understand."

"So you're just turning everyone into Anothers because if you don't, something worse will happen?" Blue Angel tried to conclude. "Right. I don't need to go to medical school to know that that logic is bogus." She pointed her index finger at Baira. "Not one more duelist will become an Another. Not on my watch!"

"Very well." Baira concluded. "It's clear we can't settle this verbally."

"Obviously. But our cards can." Blue Angel agreed with her.

"Gaah!" Frog pulled away from Pigeon. "They're gonna duel. You know what this means?"

"That we have the exclusive scoop on this match?" Pigeon asked.

"That we have the exclusive scoop on this match!" Frog repeated. "Start recording! I want this duel to be broadcast worldwide!"

"Yes, sir! Because you want to serve the public!" Pigeon enthusiastically said. "And not to pay the broadcast fees, right?"

"One more word and I'll serve you up Teriyaki style!" Frog threatened Pigeon.

"Recording right away! And sorry," Pigeon quickly added.

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

"Yuhiro! Get your ass down here!" Roxy shouted, causing Yuhiro to run down the stairs and right into the backroom. When he arrived, he saw Roxy looking at a screen, which showed Blue Angel facing whom he perceived to be Baira.

"Can't believe my plan worked," was all Yuhiro said, as he saw the beginning of the duel.

"Obviously." Roxy turned her chair so she could look at him. "But I'm still pissed that-."

Suddenly, the monitors started beeping, causing her to turn back to them. "Shit!" She slammed her fists on the table. "The monitors picked up several Knights of Hanoi logging in as we speak!"

"That's certainly not good." Herald commented. Yuhiro couldn't help but nod.

"I'll keep her safe," Yuhiro said, as he headed to the closed-off space. While he believed the others would fight off the Knights if needed, this felt personal to him. After all, he didn't want Blue Angel to be used as a hostage again.

"Just be careful out there." Roxy told him.

"I promise." Yuhiro replied, as the door closed. He put his deck in his Duel Disk and said, "Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

As soon as Raguel landed on his duel board, he released an E.M.S. from his Duel Disk to follow Blue Angel and Baira. By doing this, he can keep an eye on their duel until he caught up with them. From what E.M.S. was showing him, he arrived at the second turn of the duel, where Baira summoned Dark Mummy Probes to destroy Trickstar Light Stage. This woman was clever, he had to admit.

"Herald," Raguel said. "How far until we reach Blue Angel and Baira?"

"In about two minutes." Herald estimated. "And according to the duel," he continued, looking at the screen, "the woman known as Baira just Link Summoned Dark Mummy Surgical Forceps."

"Seriously?" Raguel asked, as he saw the monster attack Trickstar Holly Angel. Luckily, Blue Angel managed to save her, although the force of attack caused her to fall off her duel board. She then quickly summoned her energy whip and pulled it right back to her.

"Hold it right there, Raguel!"

He turned around and saw two Knights of Hanoi, along with a Sergeant, chasing him. "You've taken out a lot of our comrades," the Sergeant said. "It's time for us to-!"

But before the Sergeant could continue, a slash of fire caused the Knights and Sergeant to drift to the left and right, almost pushing them off course.

"You.. shall not.. pass!"

Everyone looked at the speaker and gasped. Ahead of them was Numera, who was being carried by Final Sigma in its left hand. She fired a small yellow triangle at the Knights and Sergeant from her Duel Disk, which electrocuted them for a brief moment.

"Numera?" Raguel asked, as she headed towards him so they could be parallel with one another. "What are you doing here?"

"Just giving you a helping hand," Numera answered. "You go after Blue Angel. She'll need your help."

Raguel narrowed his eyes. "You sure?"

Numera smirked in response. "Of course. Taking these guys down will be a piece of cake."

"Don't get so cocky, little girl!" the Sergeant warned her. "If you insist on taking all three of us at once, we'll gladly oblige!"

"Good." Numera simply replied. "Because my Duel Factorial triangles prevent you from dueling anyone else."

Seeing that he couldn't change Numera's mind, Raguel nodded. "Alright. Just be careful." And he sped off.

"Oh don't worry," Numera said, as she turned to the Knights and Sergeant and gave an unsettling smile. "I'll be extra careful."

As Raguel continued to head to where Blue Angel and Baira were, three more Knights of Hanoi emerged from the shadows and chased him.

"There he is!" one of the Knights called out, causing Raguel to turn around and sigh. Great. More pains in the ass.

"You guys suck! You know that!" Raguel said as he launched his Duel Anchor at one of them, snaking its way around his wrist. Grabbing onto the anchor, Raguel pulled the Knight off his duel board and swung him around and around, causing the other knights to drift to the side to avoid getting hit. He then released the Duel Anchor, which led the Knight to hit a building face-first before falling to the ground, resulting in a forced log-out.

The other two Knights attempted to sandwich Raguel, but Raguel slowed his duel board down just in time for the Knights to accidentally hit each other instead.

"See you suckers later!" Raguel said, before firing an electrical blast from his Cracker gauntlet, electrocuting and logging them out. "With that out of the way-."

"Found him!" Unfortunately for him, there were several more Knights behind his tail.

"Aw come on!" Herald said, who was clearly annoyed. Raguel couldn't help but nod in agreement. "We're in the middle of something here!"

"Then why don't you ask for help next time?"

The Knights and Raguel turned around and gasped. Stregone emerged behind them, smirking.

"Stregone?" one of them asked. "Even if you're here, you're no match for all of us!"

"Is that so?" Stregone replied, as he pointed to the Knights. "Then you all clearly underestimate me!" He then fired several green, mystical blasts of energy at each of the Knights, which took the form of Duel Anchors.

"What are you doing, Stregone?" Raguel asked, as each of the Duel Anchors wrapped themselves around the Knights' wrists.

"Clearing you a path," Stregone replied. "Don't worry. I got this." As Raguel sped off once more, he turned his attention to the Knights. "Now you'll all be forced to duel me alone. My only question is: Are you ready for the show to begin?"

Eventually, Raguel was some distance away from Blue Angel and Baira's duel. He was far enough away so they and the cameras couldn't see him. Due to the Knights' insisted interference, he missed Blue Angel's turn. He turned on the feed E.M.S. sent him once again, which showed that Blue Angel didn't do much with her turn, as her field was the same.

"Well that's not good," Herald said, as he watched Blue Angel on the screen get sent flying through a building by Surgical Forceps's effect. Thankfully, she managed to run on her duel board. "Uh-oh."

"What is it?" Raguel asked, as he looked at the screen. Upon looking at it, his eyes widened as he saw Baira activate her Skill to summon two new monsters, which not only protected Surgical Forceps from Trap cards, but increased its strength as well.

_What are you up to, Baira?_ Raguel thought. He got his answer immediately when Baira used the effect of Temple of the Kings to activate her face-down card Root Ransom Virus, which lowered Holly Angel's attack points to 0 and negated her effects. It should have affected Surgical Forceps, but thanks to Baira's Dark Mummy Infuser, Surgical Forceps was unaffected.

"Crap!" Raguel realized what Baira was planning. "We have to hurry to them before it's too late!"

"Yes," Herald replied, looking at the screen, "I can see what you meeeeeeaaaaannnnn!" Herald soon held onto the Duel Disk he was in for dear life because Raguel increased the speed of his duel board.

Although Blue Angel sent Trickstar Perennial to the graveyard to protect Holly Angel, one of Surgical Forceps's attacks still went through and hit her duel board. This caused her to fall off of it, screaming in the process.

Before she could hit the ground, however, someone grabbed her arm. Looking up, she gasped in surprise. "R-Raguel?"

Raguel narrowed his eyes at Blue Angel. "Please stop falling off your duel board," he said. "That way, I don't have to save you." He lifted her up and threw her back onto her duel board.

"Raguel?" Baira said, looking at him in surprise, then she smirked. "We planned for you to eventually show up. After all, just like how you aided Go in his duel against Dr. Genome, you show up now to help your dear friend Blue Angel. The question is: Do you plan on taking Blue Angel's-?"

Suddenly, there was a screech, one so loud that everyone had to cover their ears. Out of nowhere, Cherubini flew out of the sky, with it's red curving sword on fire. The fallen angel dove down towards Raguel, hellbent on eradicating him. It would have succeeded had Raguel not dodged out of the way at the last second.

"What... what in the world is that thing?" Blue Angel asked, her voice filled with terror.

"You're Cherubini, Infearno's Link Monster, aren't you?" Baira asked, as the fallen angel headed towards her side.

"My apologies for interrupting this duel," Cherubini said to Baira, "but Infearno has ordered me to eliminate anyone who would threaten you." The fallen angel then raised its right hand, demonic energy being charged up in its palm.

"Don't-!" Baira was about to say, but Cherubini fired the demonic energy blast anyway at Blue Angel. Seeing that her life was in danger, Raguel immediately headed towards her and took the impact of the blast instead. He expected to fall off his duel board, but he surprisingly didn't due to the force field Herald created in front of them.

"You're... welcome." Herald said. But that was all he could say, as the fallen angel quickly charged towards them. In response, Raguel reached for his sword and blocked Cherubini's sword strike, slowing him down in the process and away from Blue Angel and Baira.

"My master is very angry with you," Cherubini told him as they struggled in their sword clash. "He sees you as an actual threat now, to the point where you need to be dealt with personally!"

"Well you can tell Infearno to suck it!" Raguel replied. "Now, Herald!"

"Right!" Herald proceeded to raise his arms in front of him, creating a second force field to push Cherubini back just long enough for Raguel to break free, rev up his sword, and stab the fallen angel in the stomach.

"Consider us even, bitch." Raguel whispered to Cherubini, before revving up his sword once again, causing the fallen angel to scream in pain before disintegrating away.

"That was close." Herald commented. "It was something I didn't expect, that's for sure."

Raguel increased the speed on his duel board. "Mean neither. It means that Infearno believes we're actually-." Suddenly, hieroglyphic symbols sped past Raguel out of nowhere, surprising him. "What in the-?" As if the hieroglyphic symbols heard him, they turned around and headed towards him, causing Raguel to dodge left and right to avoid getting hit. "Okay, what is this?"

"I'm analyzing it right now, partner." Herald responded, as Raguel continued dodging left and right. "They're a part of some program."

"But where exactly is the program?" Raguel asked. Apparently, he got his answer, as the data stream started increasing under his feet. "Not this time!" He attempted to fire his Duel Anchor at a nearby rooftop, but soon found that it stopped working. "Why isn't my Duel Anchor working?"

"Raguel! Data Wave incoming!" Herald said, getting Raguel's attention. And just like Herald said, a data wave was suddenly in front of them! Seeing this, Raguel turned around to avoid getting swallowed by it. But that would not be the end of his troubles.

"Seems we found the program that's messing the data stream up!" Raguel found out, as he looked at what it appeared to be two giant circles, with a black shade in the middle to connect them. The hieroglyphic symbols from before were drawn in the black shade.

"The data wave's catching up!" Herald said, panicking as he turned his head and looked at it.

"We have to go in that circle!" Raguel concluded, getting Herald's attention. "It's the only way to get out of this jam!"

"But what if the Hanoi's responsible for this?" Herald asked.

"If the Hanoi wants my attention so bad, they'll get it!" Raguel replied, as he sped up to reach the circle. "Hold on, Herald!"

_In an unknown location in LINK VRAINS..._

The circle that Raguel and Herald entered unceremoniously spat them out, causing them to fall to the ground.

_Where are we_, Raguel thought, as he got up and looked around in the dark area he was in. When he looked forward, he was caught off guard by a black, humanoid droid. The droid was covered in black robes, and its head resembled a helmet with a smooth glass dome. Similar to Kitamura's AI duelists, the droid had human-like five fingered hands

"The hell?" Raguel muttered, as he approached the droid, Herald emerging from his Duel Disk in the process.

"It's some robot, that's for sure." Herald confirmed. "But as for the model, I've never seen something like-."

"Identifying unknown presence!" the droid suddenly said, its glass head scanning Raguel's body. "Presence clarified. Duelist known as Raguel identified. Duel threat: 5 stars. Ace monster: Cyreath Hercules." Immediately, the droid started glowing, taking the _literal_ form of Cyreath Hercules. This action led to Raguel taking a step back in shock.

The droid then started laughing as it crossed its arms. "I've been waiting for you. You've been a thorn in the Hanoi's ass for a long time. So prepare to lose your Ignis and your loved ones forever!" Raguel grit his teeth in anger in response. "Your duels have intrigued me for quite a while," the droid continued, pointing its right index finer at him. "If you're able to survive against the likes of Infearno and Dancho, then you're worthy of facing off against the master of magicians!"

"Enough of these tricks!" Raguel said, pulling out his sword and pointing it at the droid. "I know there's someone out there, pulling the strings. So show yourself! Now!"

Immediately, the droid dematerialized to its original form. Its glass head then started to glow, revealing the face of a male with red hair and blue eyes, as well as a silver-yellow eye piece over his left eye.

"Welcome, Raguel. I am the Hanoi's Secretary known as Lord Kazuma, and soon, I will finish what Infearno could not!" Lord Kazuma declared through the droid.

"So Infearno really is sore about our last duel, huh?" Raguel asked. "How come he isn't here himself to do the job?"

"Infearno has other things to take care of for the Hanoi," Lord Kazuma answered through the droid. "Right now, though, you have to contend with me."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then you'll be stuck here forever!" Lord Kazuma laughed. "We may be in LINK VRAINS still, but you've lost connection with any outside help you may have."

_Damn it_, Raguel thought, as he grit his teeth. _I'm stuck here with a mad man_.

"But I'm willing to duel for your freedom," Lord Kazuma continued via the droid. "If you win, you'll be given the code to escape this place. But if you lose, your Ignis will belong to the Hanoi!"

"I accept your challenge." Raguel immediately answered, shocking Herald.

"What?" Herald said. "You accepted his challenge? With me on the line?"

"Herald," Raguel said, turning to him, "we don't have a choice. We've lost connection with Roxy, and we don't know how to escape this place."

"But just give me time, and I'll-."

"No." Raguel replied. "Think about it. Right here in front of us is an opportunity. If we duel and defeat the Hanoi's personal secretary, he could lead us to where the others are."

"I suppose you make a point." Herald conceded. "Just kick his butt quickly so we can catch up with Blue Angel." Raguel nodded in agreement.

"I'm quite pleased you accepted my challenge," Lord Kazuma said, the droid placing its hand on its hip. "But this room's a little cramped, don't you think? Fortunately, I know of a special duel ring close by. My messenger droid will take you there. See you soon." The droid's head then stopped glowing, and gestured Raguel to follow it to a nearby elevator. Knowing there was nothing else to do, Raguel sheathed his sword and followed the droid to the nearby elevator.

When Raguel got onto the elevator along with the droid, the elevator doors closed. The elevator then went down two floors before stopping and opening the doors again. The droid then gestured for Raguel to exit, which he did.

Raguel then looked around the duel ring, which resembled a theatre stage. In the middle was a massive duel ring, while around it were theatre decorations. Behind him were theatre drapes.

"I hope you like the arena," a voice said, as its owner emerged from an elevator on the other side of the room. The figure that emerged from the elevator was the real Lord Kazuma in the flesh and bone. From what Raguel saw, he was a male of medium height, with red hair and blue eyes. He also wore a white lab coat with orange lines, as well as a silver-yellow eyepiece over his left eye. If Raguel had to guess, this guy was in his late teens. "It's the perfect setting for a private performance with so much on the line."

"Is that so?" Raguel asked. "It's a shame really, Kazuma. It would have been interesting for the world to see me kick your ass."

Lord Kazuma nearly stumbled over upon hearing that comment. "It's _Lord_ Kazuma," he clarified. "Anyway, it's almost time to raise the curtain and start the show. Oh, and one last thing." Lord Kazuma snapped his fingers, and within moments, hieroglyphic symbols appeared all around them, forming digital walls.

"What did you do?" Raguel asked, his eyes widened in disbelief as he looked around at what Lord Kazuma done.

"An extra security measure." Lord Kazuma explained. "I observed you using your Duel Anchor many times, and I decided to make one, only in the form of a field. Now neither of us can escape until our duel has concluded." Raguel narrowed his eyes at Lord Kazuma, now frustrated at what the secretary had done.

"There's more!" Lord Kazuma continued. "I also used some of Baira's program in making this Duel Field. Which means that whoever loses will be put into a coma forever!" Raguel's eyes widened upon hearing that.

"Winning this duel just became more important than ever, Raguel," Herald said, looking at Lord Kazuma's duel field. "For one, I do not want to be captured by the Hanoi. Most certainly not by this mad man!"

"And I don't want to be put into a coma either," Raguel added. "Which means that we must go all-out if we don't want to lose." Turning to Lord Kazuma and activating his Duel Disk, he said, "It's time to begin our duel!"

"Indeed!" Lord Kazuma replied. "It's show time!"

"Duel!" both duelists shouted.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Lord Kazuma: 4000 LP**

"I shall set the stage for our duel," Lord Kazuma said, swiping his right hand in front of him to see his hand. _Excellent_, he thought. _This perfect hand will seal Raguel's moves_. "I'll start by Normal Summoning Magician's Rod from my hand to the field." A spectral version of a spellcaster with shiny, curved plates that had sharp edges and covered the torso and shoulder areas appeared on Lord Kazuma's field. It carried a long rod in it's hands.

**Magician's Rod ATK: 1600 DEF: 100 LV: 3**

"When this card is Normal Summoned, I get to add a Spell or Trap card that specifically lists the card 'Dark Magician' in its text." With the effect of Magician's Rod, the card known as Dark Magical Circle popped out of Lord Kazuma's deck, who added it to his hand.

"Dark Magician?" Herald pondered for a moment before coming to a conclusion. "That's the deck the King of Games had all those years back!"

"Which means we're facing off against one of the most powerful decks ever created." Raguel realized. It wasn't the fact that he was facing off against the Dark Magician deck that ticked him off. It was that Lord Kazuma dared to disrespect the King of Games by using a copy of the Dark Magician deck. Especially one that contained the King of Games' beloved ace monster: Dark Magician!

"I'm not finished yet." Lord Kazuma said. "Now I activate the Field Spell card, Secret Village of the Spellcasters!"

"What?" Raguel said in shock as the duel ring briefly changed to the appearance of Secret Village of the Spellcasters before returning back to where they were.

"Now as long as I control a Spellcaster monster," Lord Kazuma explained, "you cannot activate any Spell cards. But if I control no Spellcaster monsters, I cannot activate any Spell cards."

"You're risking an awful lot just to defeat me." Raguel commented.

"Of course I am." Lord Kazuma agreed with Raguel. "After all, I observed your many duels. In doing so, I learned that to defeat you, I must limit your moves before you can get started. Now where was I? Oh yes. I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Dark Magical Circle! Now I can look at the top three cards of my deck for a 'Dark Magician' or a Spell or Trap card listing 'Dark Magician' specifically in its text. Then by revealing it to you, I get to add it to my hand." Lord Kazuma looked at the top three cards of his deck before choosing one. "I reveal to you my ace monster, Dark Magician!" Seeing Dark Magician revealed in front of Raguel's eyes made him furious.

"Dark Magical Circle has a second effect. I can place the remaining two cards on top of my deck in any order. Let's see here. This should work." Using the second effect of Dark Magical Circle, he put Apprentice Illusion Magician on top of Pot of Duality.

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Lord Kazuma concluded. "I'd say good luck, but we all know that's a curse in theatre."

"You disgrace the Dark Magician." Raguel seethed. "And when this duel is over, you'll regret ever using it."

"Oh, so scary. In that case, why don't you back up that bravado with your dueling?"

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said, drawing the top card of his deck. "Since you control a monster and I don't, I can Special Summon Cyreath Satyr from my hand!" A creature with the upper body of a man and the horns and legs of a goat appeared on Raguel's field. The creature had bronze pieces of armor on its head, arms, and legs, as well as long claws on its hands.

**Cyreath Satyr ATK: 2300 DEF: 1400 LV: 5**

"Next, since I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can Normal Summon this card without tributing. Come, Cyreath Cyclops!" A brute with one eye, carrying a club and wearing a belt with cloth, also appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Cyclops ATK: 1900 DEF: 2000 LV: 5**

"Finally, if I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can Special Summon Cyreath Doppelganger from my hand!" A pale, shadowy man materialized itself on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Doppelganger ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Soon, a Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters. I'll set Cyreath Satyr, Cyreath Cyclops, and the Cyreath Doppelganger token in the Link Markers!" Satyr went into the bottom arrowhead, the Doppelganger token went into the top-right arrowhead, and Cyclops went into the top-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"Hercules' effect!" Raguel added. "Monsters this card points to lose 500 attack points! Nemean Roar!" Hercules let out a massive roar, which hit Magician's Rod.

**Magician's Rod ATK: 1600 – 500 = 1100**

"Raguel," Herald said, "if I were you, I'd-."

"Battle!" Raguel declared, ignoring Herald. "Cyreath Hercules attacks Magician's Rod! Nemean Strike!" Hercules charged forward to smash Magician's Rod with his right gauntlet. However...

"Continuous-Trap card, activate!" Lord Kazuma said. "Spellbinding Circle! This card lets me target one monster you control and prevent it from attacking! Hahahaha!" A green circle with four small, orange circles orbiting on it came out of the card and went around Hercules' waist, stopping his attack and preventing him from moving. "It also prevents your monster from changing its battle position as well!"

"Damn it!" Raguel muttered. "I can't believe I fell for that."

"I tried to warn you, Raguel." Herald said. "But you went in without thinking!"

"You make a valid point there." Raguel admitted. Knowing there was nothing else he could do, he said, "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"My turn!" Lord Kazuma said, drawing the top card of his deck and adding it to his hand. "By discarding one card from my hand, I can Special Summon Apprentice Illusion Magician from my hand!" As Lord Kazuma discarded Dark Magician from his hand and sent it to the Graveyard, a woman in purple robes and hat, along with high heel boots, appeared on his field. She had spiky, white hair that went to the back of her neck. In her hand was her own scepter.

**Apprentice Illusion Magician ATK: 2000 DEF: 1700 LV: 6 **

"Apprentice Illusion Magician's effect! When she's Normal or Special Summoned, I can add one 'Dark Magician' from my deck to my hand!" As Lord Kazuma said this, a copy of Dark Magician popped out of his deck and into his hand.

"Now I activate my Continuous-Trap card, Eternal Soul!" Lord Kazuma continued. "Now every 'Dark Magician' in my monster zone is unaffected by your card effects! However, should it leave the field, all monsters I control are destroyed!"

"Once again, you're taking a huge risk." Raguel stated. "Is taking risks a part of your strategy, Kazuma?"

"I told you already, it's _Lord_ Kazuma!" Lord Kazuma emphasized, now slightly irritated. "And yes, my strategies are all or nothing. Allow me to show you! I activate the third effect of Eternal Soul. It lets me choose one of two other effects once per turn. And I think I'll choose the first one, which lets me Special Summon my Dark Magician from my hand or Graveyard! Come forth, my ace monster!" On Lord Kazuma's command, a spellcaster in dark blue armor with shiny, curved plates that had sharp edges and covered the torso and shoulder areas appeared on his field. On the edges of the plates were curved trimmings of contrasting shade. He had blue-colored skin and white hair, and in his right hand was a dark blue rod.

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 LV: 7**

While he would never admit it, if Raguel weren't dueling for his life and freedom, he'd be awestruck at seeing Dark Magician in a duel.

"Dark Magical Circle's effect! Whenever Dark Magician is Normal or Special Summoned, I can target one card you control and banish it!" Lord Kazuma snickered as he pondered over his options. "I could banish your monster, but I need to make sure you can't make any comebacks. I know!" Looking at Raguel's face-down cards, he moved his finger back and forth to them as he said, "Eeny, Miney, Minie, Mo. Catch the tiger by the toe. If he hollers, let them go. Eeny, Miney, Minie, Mo!" And Lord Kazuma ended up pointing at Raguel's face-down card on the right. "I choose to banish the face-down card on the right!"

"Crap!" Raguel said, as Dark Magical Circle fired a blast at his face-down card, turning it into particles. _Torrential Buster would have helped me a lot this turn_, he thought.

"Now it's time to battle!" Lord Kazuma declared. "Dark Magician attacks Cyreath Hercules! At this point, I activate the second effect of Apprentice Illusion Magician! By sending her from my field or hand to the Graveyard, my attacking monster gains 2000 attack and defense points during damage calculation only!" Apprentice Illusion Magician released a magical spell from her scepter aimed towards Dark Magician, powering him up as she disappeared from the field to the Graveyard.

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 + 2000 = 4500 DEF: 2000 + 2000 = 4000**

"Go, Dark Magician! Dark Magic Attack!" Dark Magician fired a magical blast from his dark blue rod at Cyreath Hercules. But...

"I activate my Trap card, Link Showdown!" Raguel suddenly said. The card showed Decode Talker clashing with Gouki the Great Ogre in an arena. "When a Link Monster I control battles a monster my opponent controls with higher attack points, my monster gains attack points equal to its Link Rating times 500! Since Hercules' Link Rating is 3, it gains 1500 attack points!" Hercules roared as his strength increased.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 + (500 X 3) = 4000**

"Nice maneuver." Lord Kazuma praised Raguel. "But you're not getting away from all the damage!" The magical blast hit Hercules, destroying him along with the Spellbinding Circle and turning both of them into particles.

**Raguel: 4000 – 500 = 3500 LP**

"And since Cyreath Hercules is gone, Magician's Rod gains its strength back!"

**Magician's Rod ATK: 1100 + 500 = 1600**

"The battle resumes!" Lord Kazuma said. "Magician's Rod attacks you directly!" On his command, the long rod being carried by a spectral spellcaster fired a magical blast at Raguel, pushing him back several feet, to the point where he slightly touched the wall, giving him a shock in the process.

**Raguel: 3500 – 1600 = 1900 LP**

"Ow, ow, ow!" Raguel said, patting the area where he got zapped. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Lord Kazuma responded with a snicker. "Seeing you suffer brought some enjoyment to this duel."

"What are you saying?"

"It's simple. I like to have fun, even if it's at the expense of my opponent suffering the process!" Lord Kazuma clarified with a smile. Looking at his hand and field, he added, "I Set one card face-down and end my turn. Therefore, Dark Magician's attack and defense points go back to normal."

**Dark Magician ATK: 4500 – 2000 = 2500 DEF: 4000 – 2000 = 2000**

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said, drawing the top card of his deck and adding it to his hand.

"Hold on, Raguel!" Herald warned him, as he turned around to look at him. "Before you make your move, I do hope you learned something from your previous turn."

"Is it setting a safety measure in place in case Plan A doesn't work out?" Raguel asked.

"Something on those lines." Herald nodded in agreement. "That said, while this Lord Kazuma's strategy is interesting, it does have its weaknesses."

"I can see that, Herald." Raguel narrowed his eyes. _If Eternal Soul is destroyed_, he thought, _all his monsters are destroyed and neither of us can activate Spell cards. But by destroying Secret Village of the Spellcasters, I can activate Spell cards again_.

Looking at the card in his hand, Raguel made his decision. "I summon Cyreath Nymph!" A blue-skinned, four winged creature with two stubby legs and a small beak, along with a spiked tail, appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Nymph ATK: 1500 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4**

"Now, appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal immediately appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are one 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Nymph into the Link Marker!" Nymph turned into a tornado of energy and entered into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1 **⬇️

"Scorpius' effect!" Raguel continued. "Once per turn, if I control no monsters in my Main Monster Zones, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Nymph!" The four winged creature from earlier reappeared on Raguel's field, only in the Main Monster Zone Scorpius was pointing to.

**Cyreath Nymph ATK: 1500 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4**

"If Nymph is Normal or Special Summoned while I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster," Raguel explained, "I can destroy one Spell or Trap card on your field. And I choose Eternal Soul!"

"Oh no!" Lord Kazuma panicked as Nymph flapped its wings, generating a small windstorm that blew Eternal Soul off the field, turning it into particles in the process.

"Without Eternal Soul on the field, your Dark Magician and Magician's Rod are destroyed!" Raguel said. At that moment, Dark Magician and Magician's Rod turned into particles as they were destroyed and sent to the Graveyard.

"Appear, for a second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A second Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two monsters, except tokens! I'll set Cyreath Scorpius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Nymph into the Link Markers!" Scorpius went into the left arrowhead, while Nymph went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Progleo!" A white-furred cub with orange eyes emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the right Main Monster Zone on Raguel's field. The cub had a satellite dish around its neck, as well as an old video recorder on his back. He also had a small brace on each of its claws, and a small coil attached to his tail. Upon being summoned, Progleo barred his fangs at his opponent.

**Progleo ATK: 1000 LINK-2 **⬅️➡️

"Let's go, Progleo, let's go!" Herald cheered.

"I'll tear this Hanoi meanie to shreds!" Progleo promised, growling at Lord Kazuma.

"Don't worry, Progleo. You'll get your wish!" Raguel said, thrusting out his hand. "Battle! Progleo attacks you directly! Playful Pounce!" Progleo charged forward and lunged at Lord Kazuma, causing him to stumble back a few steps.

**Lord Kazuma: 4000 – 1000 = 3000 LP**

"Not too bad, Raguel." Lord Kazuma said. "But obviously not enough to defeat me."

"I'm well aware," Raguel replied. "I Set one card face-down and end my turn."

"My turn! I draw!" Lord Kazuma said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I may not be able to activate Spell cards at the moment, but such an inconvenience won't stop me! Not when I activate my face-down Trap card, Magician's Navigation! This card lets me Special Summon one 'Dark Magician' from my hand to the field!" Immediately, a second copy of Lord Kazuma's ace monster arrived on his field.

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 LV: 7**

"The second effect now activates!" Lord Kazuma continued. "Which lets me Special Summon one Level 7 or lower DARK Spellcaster monster from my deck. Come, Dark Magician Girl!" A teenage girl in blue robes with a pink skirt and small pink cape winked at Raguel as she appeared beside Dark Magician. She had long, blond spiky hair that extended to the middle of her back. On top of her head was a blue wizard's hat with pink rings encircling it. She also wore high-heeled blue boots with pink rings as well. In her hands, she carried a scepter.

**Dark Magician Girl ATK: 2000 DEF: 1700 LV: 6**

"If you think I'm stopping here, you're wrong! I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Secrets of Dark Magic! This card lets me activate one of two effects. And I'll choose the first effect, which lets me perform a Fusion Summon using monsters in my hand or field, including a 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' as Fusion Material!"

"I don't like this, Raguel." Herald said, worried.

"Me neither." Raguel agreed with Herald.

"Using Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl as Fusion Materials, I perform a Fusion Summon!" Lord Kazuma said, as Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl disintegrated into blue and red particles of energy, which went into a Dark Magical Circle above them.

"The ultimate wizard and his apprentice shall unite to unlock their true strength together!" Lord Kazuma chanted. "Fusion Summon! Come forth! Level 8! The Dark Magicians!" Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl returned from the whirlwind and reappeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on his field. Only this time, their robes were both more ornate than before.

**The Dark Magicians ATK: 2800 DEF: 2300 LV: 8**

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Dark Magic Expanded! This card's effects are applied in sequence according to the number of 'Dark Magician' and/or 'Dark Magician Girl' monsters on my field and in my Graveyard! Since there are two 'Dark Magicians' and one 'Dark Magician Girl' in my Graveyard, I can activate all three effects at once!"

"That's not good! That's not good!" Herald panicked. Raguel gritted his teeth as well in hearing the bad news.

"Effect Number 1!" Lord Kazuma said, lifting one finger. "A DARK Spellcaster monster on my field gains 1000 attack points until the End Phase! I choose The Dark Magicians!" A Dark Magical Circle appeared underneath The Dark Magicians, enveloping them in a golden light.

**The Dark Magicians ATK: 2800 + 1000 = 3800**

"Effect Number 2!" Lord Kazuma continued, lifting a second finger. "Not only can my Spell or Trap cards not be destroyed by card effects until the End Phase, you can't activate cards or effects in response to them!"

"Are you serious?" Raguel asked, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Obviously." Lord Kazuma confirmed. Lifting a third finger, he said, "Effect Number 3! Until the end of this turn, all DARK Spellcaster monsters are unaffected by card effects!"

_Not only did this guy turn his Fusion Monster into a juggernaut_, Raguel thought, _but he also protected his Spell and Trap cards until the end of the turn_. He did not like what he was facing at all.

"Let's battle!" Lord Kazuma declared, thrusting out his right hand. "The Dark Magicians attacks your precious Progleo! Dark Burning Impact!" The powered up Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl joined forces as they fired a blast of magical energy from their respective weapons at Progleo. However...

"You're not hurting my Progleo!" Raguel interjected. "I activate my Trap card, Link Barrier!" The card showed Linkuriboh, Link Disciple, and Link Devotee surrounded by a translucent barrier, which protected them from a blast of energy being fired by Borreload Dragon. "When this card is activated, my Link Monster cannot be destroyed by battle this turn. Also, I can reduce the damage I'm taking equal to its Link Rating times 500. Since Progleo is Link 2, I can reduce the damage by 1000!"

"Regardless, you'll barely survive!" Lord Kazuma replied with a snicker, as a translucent barrier appeared around Progleo, protecting the cub from the attack and weakening the magical blast. Unfortunately, it bounced off the barrier and hit Raguel, sending him flying all the way to the electrocuted wall. As a result, he was electrocuted before falling to the floor.

**Raguel: 1900 – 1800 = 100 LP**

"Raguel!" Progleo cried out in panic as he headed to where Raguel was. "Please tell me you're alive!"

"I'm... okay, buddy." Raguel said, as he slowly got up. "But that hurt. That really hurt!" He soon heard Lord Kazuma laughing, clapping his hands as he did so.

"Here you are, taking all this punishment, and you still get up? That is quite impressive. Well done!"

"Are you going to keep talking, or are you going to end your turn?" Raguel snarled, in a deeper, echoing voice.

Apparently, that stopped Lord Kazuma from talking for a moment, before he said, "Well then. In that case, I Set one card face-down and end my turn, which means The Dark Magicians' attack points go back to normal." _And with this face-down card_, he thought, _Raguel's fate shall be sealed_.

**The Dark Magicians ATK: 3800 – 1000 = 2800**

"Listen to me, Raguel!" Herald said, getting his attention. "You're letting it happen again!"

"Letting what happen again?" Raguel snarled.

"You're letting the power from before consume you again!" Herald clarified, turning to face Raguel. "You must control it! And I know you can! Think of three things!"

Raguel gasped as the memory came back to him.

"_Three. That's all you need. Just three simple reasons can help you get through anything."_

He shook his head as Herald continued talking. "You can do this, my friend. I believe in you."

"Alright." Raguel said, as he thought of three things. _One: Aoi. I have to win this duel to return back to LINK VRAINS and help her against Baira. Two: My allies. I promised I would fight alongside them against the Knights of Hanoi. And for every Knight taken down, the closer we are to our goal. Three: Miyu. I must win this duel. So I can be another step closer to seeing her wake up one day from her coma._

His breathing finally steadied as he calmed down. "Thank you, Herald. With you believing in me, I can control this power."

"Aw, how sweet." Lord Kazuma interrupted. "Now get on with your turn already!"

"If you insist." Raguel replied, a translucent shadow of an angel appearing behind him. Only this time, he spoke in his own voice, and his eyes were grey, their normal color. "Let's go kick this guy's ass, shall we Progleo?"

Progleo barked in agreement as he and Raguel headed back to the duel ring.

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said. "I activate the effect of Cyreath Chiron from my hand! By revealing this card, I can Special Summon it, as well as one 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard! In exchange, I can only attack with 'Cyreath' Link monsters this turn! And the monster I choose to bring back is Cyreath Hercules!" Hercules jumped back to Raguel's field, only in the middle Main Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

Then a creature with the upper body of a man and the lower body and legs of a horse joined his Cyreath comrades. He had long brown hair tied into a ponytail at the end, along with green eyes. He also wore an archaic style of dress with leather armor being clad onto it. He strung his bow at Lord Kazuma.

**Cyreath Chiron ATK: 2100 DEF: 1600 LVL: 6**

"Hercules' effect! Monsters this card points to lose 500 attack points! Nemean Roar!" Hercules let out a massive roar, which hit The Dark Magicians.

**The Dark Magicians ATK: 2800 – 500 = 2300**

"It's time!" Raguel shouted, as he thrusted his right hand to the ceiling. "Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above his head. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Chiron and Cyreath Hercules, which is a Link 3 monster, into the Link Markers!" Hercules split into two tornadoes of energy and entered the left and right arrowheads, while Chiron entered the bottom-left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Take to the skies and bring terror from above! Link 3! Cyreath Stymphalian Bird!" A massive bronze bird the size of a crane with long blue hair at the back of its head emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field. The bird had a beak of bronze, sharp metallic feathers on its wings, and razor sharp claws. Its orange eyes looked down at Lord Kazuma as it screeched at him.

**Cyreath Stymphalian Bird ATK: 2000 LINK-3 **⬅️➡️↙️

"What a fool you are!" Lord Kazuma said. "Trap card, activate! Magical Drain!" The card showed Dark Magician firing dark magic at Blue Eyes White Dragon. "Now since I control a Spellcaster monster, I can target one monster you control and halve its attack points until the end of the turn! I choose your bird!" Immediately, a dark, magical blast came out of Magical Drain and right towards Stymphalian Bird, draining the bird of half it's strength.

**Cyreath Stymphalian Bird ATK: 2000 / 2 = 1000**

"That won't stop me, Kazuma!" Raguel immediately said with a smirk. "I activate Stymphalian Bird's first effect! When it's Link Summoned, I can destroy one Spell or Trap card you control. And I choose your Secret Village of the Spellcasters!" Stymphalian Bird shot out several metallic feathers from its wings in response, destroying the card.

"You dare?" Lord Kazuma said, gritting his teeth. "And for the third time, it's-!"

"Stymphalian Bird's second effect!" Raguel continued over his outburst. "By banishing a monster from my Graveyard, it can attack you directly this turn! Furthermore, if the banished monster was a Link Monster, it can attack you directly equal to its Link Rating!"

"WHAT?" Lord Kazuma said, now realizing that he was going to lose the duel.

"I banish Hercules using Stymphalian Bird's effect!" As Raguel said this, the bronze colored bird glowed in blue flames. "And since Hercules' Link Rating was three, that means it can attack you directly three times!"

"This cannot be!" Lord Kazuma panicked. "I'm supposed to win this duel!"

"Well, you thought wrong." Herald replied. "Let's put this guy in his place, right Raguel?"

"Right!" Raguel responded. "Battle! Cyreath Stymphalian Bird attacks you directly three times, Lord Kazuma! At this point, I activate the effect of Link Showdown from my Graveyard! By banishing it, a Link Monster I control gains 1000 attack points until the End Phase!" At that moment, Stymphalian Bird was enveloped in a red aura, powering it up.

**Cyreath Stymphalian Bird ATK: 1000 + 1000 = 2000**

"Triple Blazing Drill Bomb!" On Raguel's command, Stymphalian Bird flew high into the air and divebombed Lord Kazuma three times: once in front of him, and once from behind. On the third time, Stymphalian Bird divebombed him with enough force that he was sent flying to the electrocuted wall behind him, shocking him in the process.

**Lord Kazuma: 3000 – 2000 – 2000 - 2000 = 0**

"We won! Hooray!" Progleo cheered.

"It's over, Kazuma." Raguel said, the translucent shadow of an angel disappearing behind him as he and Progleo walked over to where he was. Grabbing him by the collar, he said, "Now give me the code to get out of here before you fall into a coma."

What Raguel didn't expect was Lord Kazuma laughing at him. "What code? I don't know what you're talking about."

"You promised our freedom if we won!" Herald reminded him.

"Again, I don't know what you're talking about." Lord Kazuma reiterated, as he started logging out. "I have a special log-out program in case things don't go my way. I doubt we'll be seeing each other again. Unless you find a way out of here, that is." He finished logging out after that, causing Raguel's eyes to widen in surprise.

"Damn it!" Raguel seethed as he looked around the room. Unfortunately for them, the walls started moving closer. "This isn't good!"

_Elsewhere, in LINK VRAINS..._

"Excellent job, protector." Numera said to Final Sigma, as the Knights in front of her disintegrated. Well, that was boring. She hoped that these Knights would provide some form of challenge, but they ultimately disappointed her in the end. Still, kicking ass was something she enjoyed.

"There you are, Numera."

Numera turned to the sound of the voice. A man with dark skin emerged from an orange gateway behind him. The man wore blue armor, with shades of gold on his shoulder armor, black gloves, and boots. He also wore blue pants, with a belt that had a cubic symbol on it. He even had a long red cape that was attached to his shoulder pads. While the man was bald, he had several strands of braided black hair on his scalp, with three in the middle and two on each side of his head, as well as a black beard with no mustache and stubble in the middle of the lower section of his face.

"So you're Watchman," Numera guessed, as Final Sigma hovered to the rooftop Watchman was on. Final Sigma then lowered it's hands, making a makeshift bridge for Numera to cross to go onto the rooftop.

"Correct." Watchman confirmed. "I'm here to rendezvous with Raguel. Have you seen him?"

"Last I saw him, he went to help Blue Angel in her duel."

Watchman pondered this for a moment before responding. "Go assist Blue Angel if needed. I will find him."

"Right." Numera jumped to the data stream and onto her duel board, speeding off in the process.

"Where could you be, Raguel?" Watchman muttered to himself, as his eyes turned orange.

_In an unknown location in LINK VRAINS..._

"Are you sure you tried everything, Herald?" Raguel asked him, the walls closer to squishing them.

"I have! And none of the programs Roxy installed work!" Herald replied, panicking in the process.

"I don't want to die!" Progleo whimpered, scared of what's to come.

"It will be alright." Raguel said, kneeling down to the cub's level. "At least if I go down, I go down with friends."

"You consider me as your friend?" Herald asked.

"Of course, buddy. You've helped me out a lot, recently. And I'm grateful for that."

"Thank you so much, Raguel."

Suddenly, an orange square resembling a gateway appeared, much to everyone's shock.

"Oh my God, it's Watchman!" Raguel said. Never did he think that he would be saved by him of all people.

"Go in quickly!" Herald said, snapping Raguel back into reality.

"Both of you. Hold on tight!" Raguel grabbed Progleo, and along with Herald, dived headfirst into the gateway, escaping the trap.

_In LINK VRAINS..._

When the gateway opened up again, it spat out Raguel, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Ah, there you are." When he looked up, he was startled to see Watchman looking at him, offering him a hand.

"If it weren't for you," Raguel said, as he accepted Watchman's hand and stood up, "I would have been turned into a shish kabob."

"No problem. After all, we are allies." Watchman replied. "I have been tracking down the one responsible for the 'Another' virus. Here is her coordinates as we speak." There was a small 'ping' on Raguel's disk, which indicated that he got them.

"Okay. And thank you." Raguel said before running off and jumping onto his duel board, speeding off to where Baira and Blue Angel were.

"Alright, old friend," Watchman said as an orange gateway appeared, "it's time we spoke once again."

_At Baira and Blue Angel's duel..._

"Yuhiro? You there? Come on, please answer!" a voice said through Raguel's earpiece.

"I'm here and alive, Roxy." Raguel replied, putting a hand on his right ear.

"Oh thank God you're alive!" Roxy said, sighing in relief. "I've spent an entire hour trying to re-establish the connection between us. Just what happened?"

"I'll fill you in once I get back." Raguel promised. He would have continued, but then Herald got his attention.

"There they are!" Herald said, getting both Baira and Blue Angel's attention. "And is that-?

"Oh, hi Raguel!" Numera said, happy to see him. "Those Knights were easy peasy, lemon squeezy."

"Raguel!" Blue Angel said, also happy to see him. "I thought that dark angel monster got you."

"So Lord Kazuma's plan failed." Baira concluded, upon seeing him. "I guess I'll have to take matters into my own hands once I defeat Blue Angel."

"I'm afraid that you won't get that chance." Raguel countered back. "For one simple reason: Blue Angel will defeat you." Turning to Blue Angel, he added, "I've seen your skills in action in our duel. Now show her your true strength!"

Blue Angel nodded. "All right."

The duel then continued, with Blue Angel using her Skill Trickstar Fraud to discard Baira's hand and make her draw three new cards. However, should Baira draw a single Trap card, the duel would be over.

Luckily for Blue Angel, Baira didn't draw any Trap cards. And Blue Angel Special Summoned Trickstar Mandrake from the Graveyard. _This is it_, Raguel thought. _Show the world your strength, Blue Angel_.

Blue Angel drew and summoned Trickstar Narkissus. While it's effects were negated due to Current Corruption Virus, Raguel knew that it wouldn't bother her, as she immediately proceeded to Link Summon Trickstar Bella Madonna.

"A Link 4 monster. Nice." Raguel commented, as Blue Angel immediately used Mandrake's effect to destroy Infuser and let Surgical Forceps be affected by Root Ransom Virus. He smirked when she told Baira that Bella Madonna's effect protected her from Root Ransom Virus's effect, as long as she didn't point to any monsters.

Right after that, Blue Angel then further used Bella Madonna to inflict effect damage before attacking Surgical Forceps for the win. Just before the attack hit, Raguel wasn't sure if he was imagining things, but it looked like Baira pressed some buttons prior to her defeat.

_A few minutes later..._

"Done and done." Stregone said, as his last opponent logged out. "Now where are you, Raguel?" he muttered as he sped off. Looking around, he eventually saw Blue Angel and the Knight she was dueling standing on a nearby rooftop. Raguel and Numera were also there, but they were standing in the background, leaning against a wall.

"You may have avoided being turned into an 'Another' today," Baira said. "But I can't speak for the future."

"I'll worry about that tomorrow," was all Blue Angel replied with. "Listen, I mean what I said prior to our duel. Can you please heal everyone that's been turned into 'Anothers'?"

"No can do." Baira took off her eyepiece and looked at the sky. "Look."

As Blue Angel, Raguel, and Numera looked up into the sky, seeing yellow lights fall around them, Baira added, "I can't do what I've already done."

"Yuhiro!" Roxy said into Raguel's earpiece.

"What is it?" Raguel whispered.

"The 'Anothers'! They're all waking up!" Raguel turned to Baira. Why?

Blue Angel looked at all the screens Baira pulled up. They all showed Another victims waking up. "Why are you healing all of them?" she asked.

"You had a little something to do with it, Blue Angel." Baira replied. "Do no harm. That's the first lesson you learn when you become a doctor."

"And that's one lesson I'm happy you remembered, Kyoko," a voice said, as it's owner stepped out of an orange gateway. While everyone except Raguel and Numera were shocked to see Watchman again, Baira was the one who was shocked the most.

"Arshad," Baira began, as she took a step forward to him. "Is that really you? I thought you were-."

"Dead?" Watchman finished for her. "I'm alive, but not in the way you think." Turning his head to Raguel and Numera, he said, "You two can come on out now." Raguel and Numera stepped away from the wall and headed to where the others were.

"You're the guy from inside the mother computer." Blue Angel said, recognizing Watchman.

"That's correct, Blue Angel." Watchman confirmed. "And I'm quite pleased you found a reason to duel again. Dueling for the sake of others is a strong belief, one I think will help you when the 'Crisis' comes."

"'Crisis'?" Blue Angel repeated. She would have said more, but Baira interrupted.

"The others won't stop in their quest to destroy the Ignis." Baira said to Watchman. "I do regret what I've done, but I still believe in that goal." While Watchman frowned, he nodded his head, understanding her choice.

She then turned to Raguel. "I'm impressed you defeated Lord Kazuma. However, your troubles are far from over, Raguel. Infearno is looking for you. He's more determined to defeat you than ever before."

"Which will make him a dangerous foe." Raguel concluded.

"Don't you worry, ma'am." Herald said. "We'll kick his ass again!"

Baira smiled at that. "For your sake, I hope you do." She turned to Watchman as she started turning into gold bits of data. "Farewell, old friend." She then disappeared completely after that.

"Farewell, Kyoko." Watchman muttered, as he sighed.

"Well, that was fun."

Everyone turned around to see Numera talking to them, her arms on the back of her head. "At least this 'Another' situation is dealt with."

"Yeah." Blue Angel agreed with her. She turned to Raguel and Watchman. "Fighting for others... I think it's something good to fight for. And if this 'Crisis' that's coming is going to threaten the people I hold dear, then I want to fight. So I can protect them from what's to come!"

Watchman smiled in response to that. "As long as you keep that close to your heart, you will not falter."

"Welcome to the team, Blue Angel." Raguel also said, extending his right hand. What caught him off guard, however, was Blue Angel smiling, as she grabbed his hand and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "I'm glad to be a part of the team, _Yuhiro_." She then winked at him as she logged out.

"Oooooh, somebody likes you Raguel!" Numera commented, a big grin on her face.

"Really, Numera? Really?" Raguel asked, irritated at what Numera did.

"You both succeeded in the task assigned today." Watchman said, getting their attention. "But as Baira said: There will be others."

"There you guys are!"

Everyone turned to see Stregone floating above the rooftop they were on. As he landed, he added, "Looks like the 'Another' situation is over."

"Not necessarily." Raguel responded. "As Watchman said, there will be others, waiting to finish what Baira started."

"It will be a while until the Hanoi strike again." Watchman told them. "Take this time to regain your strength. Until next time." He then turned into orange particles as he disappeared.

"Okay, someone tell me who that guy was. Because I clearly have no clue." Stregone requested.

Raguel was about to answer him, but Numera beat him to the punch. "He's our client, who hates the Hanoi just as much as we do."

Stregone nodded, but then said, "Okay. But who hires a little girl to do someone else's work?"

For some reason, this irritated Numera. "I may be younger than you," she stated, "but that doesn't mean I have less skill than you, Mr. Charisma duelist!"

"You challenging the 'Sorcerer' of LINK VRAINS to a duel?" Stregone asked. "Because I'll be more than happy to oblige."

It soon led to an argument as to who had more skill in a duel. Raguel, who didn't want to get involved in the argument, immediately logged out.

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

The door to the backroom opened, revealing a very tired Yuhiro. He would have fallen to the ground had Roxy not rushed over and caught him.

"Looks like someone's tired," Roxy commented, as she helped Yuhiro to his chair.

"Yeah. No kidding, sherlock." Yuhiro replied, as Roxy sat back down on her chair. He then took off his Duel Disk and placed it on the long desk containing the digital keyboard.

"Apart from our duel against the Hanoi's pet secretary," Herald stated, "we almost got minced."

"Minced?" Roxy repeated, turning to face Yuhiro. "Okay, Yuhiro. You got a lot of explaining to do, as I lost contact with you for an entire hour."

"I know. Just give me a minute to think." And then Yuhiro told Roxy about his encounter with Lord Kazuma, how even though they nearly lost, they still won in the end. He also told her that, if it wasn't for Watchman, they would have died.

"Wow." Roxy said, after hearing all that. She put her arms behind her head as she turned to face the monitors. "You've been through a lot today, man. If anything, everyone that's been turned into 'Anothers' are now finally cured."

"And I kicked ass!" Progleo said, as he came out of the Duel Disk and hopped onto Yuhiro's lap. "Thanks to my assistance, another Hanoi meanie has been defeated!"

"You did great out there, buddy." Yuhiro agreed, as he ruffled Progleo's fur, which he liked very much.

"There's just one thing that irks me." Roxy turned to face Yuhiro. "Kazuma's deck. How the hell did he even get it? There's only one in the world."

"Beats me." Yuhiro did a search on the monitor and found something. "According to this article, the 'Dark Magician' deck is stored at the Den City Museum. So people can learn about the King of Games, Yugi Muto."

"It doesn't matter what deck Kazuma has." Herald interjected. "Yuhiro, the fact that he almost beat us means he could be on the same level as Dancho."

"And maybe Infearno if he ups his game." Roxy added. "While we have another lead, we have to be more careful from now on. Please promise me this, Yuhiro."

Yuhiro turned to face Roxy so she could look into her eyes. "I promise, Roxy. You have my word."

Roxy smiled in response. "Good. Now get some rest. You need it."

_At the Hanoi Stronghold..._

Faust, Dancho, and Infearno were looking at the coffin Baira was laying in. Meanwhile, Revolver was conversing with Lord Kazuma regarding the latter's duel.

"So he's growing stronger then?" Revolver asked, his arms crossed.

"Afraid so." Lord Kazuma replied, taking a sip from his coffee cup. "I must say, even though I sealed a third of his deck, Raguel managed to fight back magnificently." His eyes widened as if he realized something. "Oh, crap."

"What is it?"

"I forgot to offer him a coffee." Lord Kazuma realized as he facepalmed.

"Is there anything else you forgot until now?" Revolver asked, getting a little irritated. While he was grateful for having Lord Kazuma in his life, there were times when the secretary annoyed him.

"Nothing else." Lord Kazuma answered. "Considering how you've other matters, I guess I'll see you back in the real world." And Lord Kazuma dematerialized out of the Hanoi Stronghold.

"Was this necessary?" Infearno asked Faust and Dancho, as Revolver walked to where they were. "I understand she released the 'Anothers', but-."

"It was." Revolver firmly stated. He turned to Infearno. "And don't think I'm not aware of what you did in LINK VRAINS."

Infearno's face widened in surprise. "You know?"

"Revolver always has eyes on LINK VRAINS. Especially during Baira's duel." Faust answered for Revolver, getting Infearno's attention. "Had you succeeded with using Cherubini to assassinate Raguel, his Ignis would have probably run off."

Infearno narrowed his eyes back at Faust. "You know as well as I do that I would have taken care of the Ignis as well, Faust."

"But it doesn't justify what you done." Dancho countered. "By defeating Raguel and Playmaker in a duel, we'll be able to capture their Ignis's without running the risk of them running away."

"Dancho's right." Revolver said, getting everyone's attention. He looked at Infearno. "Infearno. You've put me in a difficult position. I won't purge you, but I have to keep order. Otherwise, my integrity as the leader of the Knights of Hanoi will be put into question."

He thought about it for a few moments before continuing. "As punishment for what you did, I'll be pulling you away from the front lines for a while."

Infearno's face turned into a mixture of confusion, shock and anger in response. "Revolver, you of all people know that-."

"I had planned for you to be a part of the second assault, along with Faust and Dancho." Revolver explained. "But your impulsive action suggests otherwise. Perhaps some time back in the real world will change your perspective."

"But Revolver-."

"Do I make myself clear?"

Infearno was silent for a full minute, as though he were deep in thought. Finally his face turned into one of resignation as he bowed and said, "Yes, Revolver."

"I'm glad you understand." Revolver replied.

Seeing that Infearno was agitated, Faust attempted to calm him down by walking towards him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Do not be so angry," he said. "Think of it like this: If Dancho and I fall, you, along with Specter, Lord Kazuma, and Revolver will avenge us." Infearno's response was smack his hand away from his shoulder.

"With that out of the way, I have new orders." Revolver said, getting everyone's attention. "Faust, Dancho. You will take what remaining Knights and Sergeants we have and cause more carnage in LINK VRAINS. Ensure that you get Raguel and Playmaker's attention. And if you see an opportunity, take it. But do not kill _anyone_. What goes on in LINK VRAINS stays in LINK VRAINS."

Both Faust and Dancho said, "Understood, Revolver," as they bowed to their leader. The two of them then logged out of the Hanoi Stronghold.

"Infearno." Revolver also said, getting his attention once again. "I understand that you don't like my decision. But I did what I had to do to keep order. My hope is that you learn from your mistake. Remember: Assassination is not our way."

"I understand, Revolver." Infearno replied.

Revolver gave him a rare smile. "I'm glad you do. Once you rejoin the fight, I can promise you this: You'll have gained a new perspective. Trust me on this." And Revolver logged out, leaving Infearno alone in the Hanoi Stronghold.

After making sure there was no one else in the Hanoi Stronghold, he pulled out a locket that was underneath his white colored clergy shirt.

_I may be out of this fight for now,_ Raguel, Infearno thought. _But when I return, I promise you this: I won't be the same duelist you defeated._

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Satyr (LV: 5/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 2300/DEF: 1700)_

_Effect: If your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. _

_Cyreath Doppelganger (LV: 4/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)_

_Effect: If you control a 'Cyreath' monster: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per duel: You can banish 1 'Cyreath' monster from your GY; Special Summon this card to your field in attack position._

_Magical Drain (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: If you control a Spellcaster monster: Target 1 monster your opponent controls; its ATK is halved until the End Phase._

_Link Showdown (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: __When a Link Monster battles a monster your opponent controls with higher ATK, it gains ATK equal to its Link Rating x 500 until the End Phase. If a Link Monster you control attacks a monster your opponent controls: You can banish this card from your GY; it gains 1000 ATK until the end of the turn._

_Link Barrier (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: When a Link Monster battles a monster your opponent controls, it cannot be destroyed by battle this turn; also, reduce any damage you would have taken equal to its Link Rating x 500. _

**QOTC**

_If Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG Structures was made into an anime (with the same art style as it's predecessors), would you watch it?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 17: Touched by Tragedy. With the 'Another' situation taken care of, Yuhiro finally gets a few days off, and during one of those days, something piques his interest. Meanwhile, with SOL Technologies' assistance, Gekiryushi looks into the Hanoi's upper chain of command. However, what she ends up finding will even surprise her..._

**Responses to Reviews and Author's Notes**

Thank you to ZarcEternal, HunterHQ, Guest, Anonymous, Zeromk7, Noobmaster, Team Rocket, Unnamed, SurvivorTierEXO, E.T 2000, Unnamed, and Bloodfiend123 for reviewing Chapter 15 of Obscured Truth.

Holy cow, how long has it been since the last update? 2-3 weeks? My sincerest apologies for making all of you wait. In a few moments, I'll let you know what took so long, recap the events of the chapter, talk further about the Profile Page, and then go to reviews.

So what happened? What took this chapter so long? Well, two things. One: Due to COVID-19, there was a transition from face-to-face learning to online learning. Which meant I had to ensure I was caught up with school material before it began. I hope that, wherever you are, that you are safe and healthy. Second, as this chapter was to introduce the second OC winner, I wanted to give him a chance to really shine in his debut duel. Onto the chapter recap!

The main event of this chapter was Lord Kazuma's duel against Raguel. Lord Kazuma is an OC created and submitted by Electriuser, and the second of the OC winners from the contest in Chapter 4. He uses the Dark Magician deck, which creates a balance between Spells, Traps, and of course, Dark Magician monsters to stand firm and eventually push the opponent back. If you're reading this Electriuser, I hope you enjoyed seeing your character in action in his debut duel, as this was just a taste of his power.

For those who are curious, the name Lord Kazuma comes from Kazuma, which is from Konosuba. His first name, Takuya comes from Digimon 4, while his last name, Naegi, comes from Danganrompa. Writing this chapter, I really enjoyed utilizing Lord Kazuma's arrogant and trollish personality in his interactions with the other Hanoi members and Raguel. What I'll confirm is this: He'll be surviving the Another Arc.

Speaking of the Another Arc, we're near it's end, as there are about 2-3 duels left before the Tower of Hanoi arc. How will that go down? You will have to read on to find out.

Okay, so after reading your comments regarding the Profile Pages, I thought I'd let you in on some details. First, there's some concern that it will be like Hidden Memories. I'm letting you know here and now that the format won't be like Hidden Memories. I don't want to plagiarize Scififan89's story, as I have deep respect for him. Rather, the format will be in the form of small recap chapters, with the profiles of each duelist. The recap episodes, although they will be in a separate story, will occur in between chapters, which will contain the profiles of each duelist.

Alright, with that out of the way, let's get to the reviews:

ZarcEternal: My apologies if there were too much dub words in the chapter. My goal was to bring in dub watchers to read the story along with sub watchers. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

HunterHQ: Glad you liked the chapter. What I'll tell you about Project VIII is this: It's something that will really impact the characters in this story. And to answer your question as to how Yuhiro and Roxy got Baira's next entry point, they had help from Herald.

Guest: Lord Kazuma's real name is Takuya Naegi. As for other names for Dr. Genome, Infearno, and Specter, you'll have to read on and see. Also, Infearno and Raguel have something else in common, although that won't be revealed until much, much later.

Anonymous: I didn't intend for Miyu's deck choice to be a spoiler. I was merely stating a fact. But you do make a great point in what you said. As for why Rachel acted aggressively in the previous chapter, I believe you'll get your answer in the next chapter.

Zeromk7: The Satellite Cannon archetype? I haven't heard of that one in a long time. I'll do some research on it and see if it's interesting to put in the story.

Noobmaster: I created Pandora's Box so that Yuhiro had some draw power for his deck. As for Link Reanimation, I created it so Playmaker can use rapid Link Summoning and make an epic comeback.

Team Rocket: Glad you liked the chapter.

Unnamed: I really hope you liked this chapter, as inspiration came from Arcana's duel against Yugi.

SurvivorTierEXO: Welcome to the story. I'm glad you liked Stregone's duel against the Sergeant of Hanoi. To answer your question, if two duelists yell 'Speed Duel', it's a Speed Duel. If they yell 'Duel', then it's a Master Duel.

E.T. 2000: Rachel's backstory will be explored next chapter. Also, what you said regarding Project VIII gave me Weapon X vibes. Finally, I want to thank you for the names you gave for the big three gods of Olympus. I will most certainly use them (although their attack points might be different).

Unnamed: Raguel's cards are physical. And it will be explained how he got his Cyreath deck after the Tower of Hanoi arc.

Bloodfiend123: Thanks for letting me know. I will look into the error and make edits.

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter in your reviews. If you know anyone who might enjoy this story, let them know. Your opinions, questions, thoughts, and recommendations will help make this story better and better. Oh, and before I forget: I based Yuhiro's schoolgirl disguise from My Hero Academia's Ochako Uraraka!

With that out of the way, I will see you all next time!


	17. Chapter 17: Touched by Tragedy

**Chapter 17: Touched by Tragedy**

_On the way to Den Academy..._

Aoi had a lot on her mind as she walked down the street to school. While there was a Functions midterm today, she was mainly thinking about what happened yesterday. How she defeated Baira and managed to somehow succeed in convincing her to release the cure for the 'Another' victims. Other than that, there was one other thing on her mind.

The upcoming 'Crisis'.

This was said by the man she encountered at SOL Technologies' mother computer a few weeks ago; the one who Yuhiro called 'Watchman'. _Whoever this Watchman is_, Aoi thought, _he was able to defeat Ghost Girl within a single turn. _According to Watchman, he was pleased that she decided to start dueling for the sake of others. He added that this belief will help her once the 'Crisis' came.

That one word. Crisis. It worried Aoi the more she thought about it. From what she can recall, Watchman mentioned that she had a role in it, whether she liked it or not. However, if it was indeed coming, then Aoi couldn't stand by and risk the people she cared about from getting hurt. _Whatever this coming 'Crisis' is, I'll fight so the people I hold dear are safe from harm_, she promised herself, making a fist in the process.

"Zaizen!"

It was then that Aoi found herself at the steps to Den Academy. And at the front door was the last person she expected to talk to. Rachel Miyake waved her hand and smiled upon seeing her.

"Good morning, Miyake." Aoi said, opening the front door and entering Den Academy. Rachel followed and fell in step with Aoi.

"Have you seen Yuhiro lately?"

Aoi raised an eyebrow. Rachel mentioned Yuhiro by his first name. Did this mean they were acquainted with each other? "No, I haven't," she finally said. Rachel frowned upon hearing that answer.

"Oh, I see. I thought you would know, given that the two of you are friends."

"Friends?" Aoi repeated. "I don't think that-."

"Aren't you?" Rachel asked, confused by Aoi's response. "He talks and spends more time with you than anyone else at Den Academy. The only reason he talks to me is because I initiate the conversation."

"That's why he talks to me too." It was true, but mostly. In all their conversations, she had been the one who initiated them. There were two times when he started a conversation between them. One: During their duel. And two: During their time at the Den City Shelter.

"And yet, it's obvious the two of you have some sort of bond." Rachel said, her frown turning into a mischievous smirk. "That day when the two of you were talking in the library, his face looked different. _Very_ different." She put her arms behind the back of her head. "Considering how the two of you are dating, I guess it would explain a _lot_, wouldn't you agree?"

Aoi's face ended up turning as red as a tomato in hearing that comment. "D-D-Dating? We'-We're classmates. And how dare you assume that!"

Rachel giggled to Aoi's response. "Ha! I knew it! I may be wrong about you two dating, but you have to admit, he's been on your mind lately. Right?"

Aoi didn't answer right away, as otherwise, Rachel would find a way to throw her words right back at her face for amusement. If she was being honest with herself, she didn't know what to really think about Yuhiro Furutani. He was distant, and didn't like interacting with people. Even with this trait, she was grateful to him for several reasons.

One: As Raguel, he not only accepted her challenge, but also helped her out in her time of need.

Two: Yuhiro saw her as an individual person, not just as Akira Zaizen's little sister. In addition, he was willing to share details with her on where he grew up, something which Aoi will be forever grateful for.

Despite these reasons, Aoi couldn't say that she saw Yuhiro as more than a friend. In fact, she wasn't sure if she could call him her friend at all.

After finally deciding on her answer, Aoi said to Rachel, "I don't like him in the way you're saying, but I'll admit. He's... different from everyone else."

"I can understand what you mean." Rachel agreed with her, as her face turned introspective. "Ever since I came to this school, no one didn't want to hang out with me. They resented me for being the _youngest_ to ever enroll in Den Academy." Aoi wasn't sure if she was seeing things, but it looked like she saw Rachel scowl as she recalled that memory.

"But Yuhiro is the first person who decided to hang out with me." Rachel continued. "He doesn't look at me like a little kid; he sees me as an equal. I'm grateful he does that."

Aoi looked at Rachel through the corner of her eye. What was she talking about? Aoi knew nothing about Rachel's past other than that she came from Den City. She suspected that Rachel had a weird sense of humor, which all centered around people's reactions and getting amusement from them. What was her game plan?

"Well," Rachel said suddenly. "It's a few minutes until the Functions midterm. Why don't you and I hang out until Yuhiro shows up? I do want to know _more_ than one person here."

"What?" Aoi said, caught off guard. She then narrowed her eyes at Rachel in suspicion. "Okay, let's get this over with. What do you want?"

Rachel blinked upon hearing Aoi's question. "What do I want? What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean! Almost everyone hear who approaches me wants something from me. So, tell me: What do you want? A new Duel Disk, perhaps?"

"You mean this thing," Rachel replied, as she showed Aoi her Duel Disk. "I already have one. This one's precious to me because my guardian gave it to me as a birthday gift. And I'd be dishonoring him if I were to replace it with the latest model."

Although Aoi was surprised by Rachel's answer, she didn't let up. There had to be something this girl wanted. "Alright. How about a job at SOL Technologies?"

That comment made Rachel upset as she stopped walking. "How old do you think I am?"

"Huh?" Aoi said, turning her body around to look at her. For some reason, she also stopped walking. "What do you mean?"

"Answer the question." Rachel demanded, crossing her arms. "How old do you think I am? I already gave you a hint earlier."

"11 years old."

"Smart answer." Rachel said, walking so she can be in front of Aoi. "Now think back on the question you asked me. Since I'm so young, do you really think I can get a job at SOL Technologies right now? Besides, I don't want to work for someone who fails to keep everyone in Den City safe." She started walking again.

"Hold on." Aoi said, catching up to Rachel. "You're referring to Kitamura?"

"Once again, you're correct." Rachel answered her. "And how am I aware of him, you may ask? Two words: The news."

"Oh," was all Aoi said in response. This girl didn't want anything at all from her? And at such a young age too? What's next, pigs can fly? "You don't want anything from me?"

"Considering how I already have everything I need, yeah." Rachel answered, reassuring her. "In all honesty, though. Why are you asking me these questions? Is it because people take advantage of you due to your connection with your brother?"

"Yes." Aoi replied, surprised for the second time today as she gathered her thoughts. First, Rachel was joking around. Then, she was serious, before going back to a typical jokester. What was with that? Is she able to manipulate her emotions on the spot whenever the situation demanded it? "He used to be the security chief before being demoted."

"I see. Thank you for telling me." Rachel said, processing what Aoi told her. "But how does Yuhiro fit into all of this?"

"It's simple. Furutani was the first person I met to not want what everybody else wanted." Aoi answered. "To me, meeting a person like that was different, and I hope to meet similar people in the future."

Rachel smiled. "Then you can count me as one of those people," she said, increasing her walking speed slightly so she can turn around and face the older girl in front of her, who stopped. Rachel then took Aoi's hands in her small ones. "Zaizen, when I look at you, I see an equal individual, someone that I want to be friends with. Do you think you can give it a chance? Please?"

Aoi sighed. Just...what was with Rachel Miyake? Well, there was only one way to find out. "Alright. If you want to be friends, then I'm willing to give it a chance."

Rachel's smile widened in complete happiness upon hearing the answer. "Thank you, Zaizen. I'm so grateful. I'm looking forward to getting to know you more as a person." The two of them then started walking again.

"Me too. I'll be honest, other than you coming from Den City, I don't know much about you."

"Well, I'll be happy to answer whatever questions I can," Rachel said, still happy about making another friend.

The next thing the both of them knew, they reached the classroom where the Functions midterm was going to be. And they saw someone they both recognized.

"Oh, Yuhiro!" Rachel called out, as she ran to where Yuhiro was. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you too, Rachel." Yuhiro responded in kind. He then noticed Aoi. "Good morning, Zaizen."

"Good morning, Furutani." Aoi replied, walking up to him. "I'm guessing you're ready for the Functions midterm?"

"I think I should be fine." Yuhiro answered. With the 'Another' threat gone and over with, Yuhiro had some time for himself. Unfortunately for him, there was a Functions midterm today, and Roxy made him study for three days straight in preparation. Even if the Hanoi was still out there, she still wanted him to do well in school. As a result, the days where he could have recovered his strength went away very fast.

Soon, the doors to the classroom opened, with everyone entering and heading to their seats immediately after that.

As Yuhiro headed for his seat and sat down, he noticed that Gekiryushi wasn't in the classroom. _Strange_, he thought. _Didn't she tell me she wanted to become a teacher one day?_ Based on his knowledge, having a strong knowledge in math was essential in becoming a teacher. And unless she made other arrangements, her chances of achieving her dream would drop.

After everyone was seated, the teacher called the class to attention, and had several TA's hand out copies of the midterm to those present. Once that was done, the whole room was silent, as they started writing.

_At the Den City Regis Hotel..._

Gekiryushi opened the door to her hotel room and went in, exhausted from her jog to and from the Den City park. Normally, she'd be at Den Academy, doing the Functions midterm. However, she arranged to have it done a day early, due to an 'extracurricular activity'.

That, and she had been expecting an email from SOL Technologies containing more information about the Hanoi. According to Bishop, the information Gekiryushi would receive was top secret, and not many people were allowed access to it. In his words, it was a reward for aiding in the efforts to stop the 'Another' threat.

Knowing she was hungry due to the jog, Gekiryushi picked up the hotel's telephone and ordered room service. With that out of the way, she headed to the bathroom to take a shower, aware of the time it took to order food at the hotel.

After showering and putting on a fresh set of clothes, Gekiryushi noticed her phone vibrating on the nearby desk. Heading towards it, she picked it up, and rolled her eyes upon finding out the caller.

"Hello?"

"This is Kitamura, from-."

"You don't have to identify yourself, Kitamura." Gekiryushi interrupted him. "Why are you calling me?"

There was a few moments of silence before Kitamura answered. "On behalf of Bishop, I wanted to let you know that the email he promised has arrived. Go to your email account if you don't believe me." And with a 'hmph', Kitamura hung up.

"Looks like someone craves success badly," Gekiryushi muttered, as she sat down at the chair close to her desk and turned on her laptop. After it started up, she opened up her email, where it showed an email notification that read:

_To: Gekiryushi Sanada_

_From: Bishop_

_Subject: Top Secret Documents_

_Ms. Sanada,_

_Attached to this email are documents containing information about the Hanoi. May this help you in eliminating them._

_Regards,_

_Bishop._

Opening one of the documents, Gekiryushi let out a small gasp of surprise at what she was seeing.

On her computer right now was a document showing details about the Hanoi's chain of command.

Wasting no time, Gekiryushi got right to work, as she started to read and scroll through the document carefully. From what she noticed, some of the Hanoi lieutenant's real-life identities were on there; identities that can be tracked down if given the proper amount of time.

_Let's see here_, Gekiryushi thought as she read the names that were on there:

Name: Eizaburo Lee

VRAINS ID: Dr. Genome

Name: Kyoko Taki

VRAINS ID: Baira

Name: Aso Watanabe

VRAINS ID: Faust

However, when Gekiryushi got to the next name, her eyes widened in shock as she read what was there:

Name: Zandaka Ikiagi

VRAINS ID: Dancho

_That's impossible_, Gekiryushi thought, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things. _I assumed he was dead a long time ago. _Immediately, she started typing on the computer the name of her former Duel Dojo: The Shinpi-Tekina Duel Dojo. Gekiryushi then clicked on the first search result, which took her to a news article describing what happened to the Duel Dojo.

From what she learned all those years ago, her classmates died as a result of the incident. The authorities couldn't find her sensei either, leading her to assume that he was dead as well.

However, reading her sensei's name on that list confirmed two things. One: He was alive. Two: He was with the Hanoi.

Tears started flowing from Gekiryushi's eyes as she processed this new information. _Sensei Ikiagi_, she thought. _How could you do this to me? How could you betray everything you stood for?_

Before Gekiryushi could do anything else, she soon heard a knock on her door.

"Yes?"

"Room service, Ms. Sanada," a female voice behind the door said. "I'm here with the food you ordered. And it's already been paid for."

"Oh." Gekiryushi wiped her eyes before heading to the door and opening it. "Thank you," she added, as she picked up the tray containing her food.

"Is everything okay, Ms. Sanada?" the female maid asked.

"Y-Yes, everything is fine. Thank you for your concern." Gekiryushi assured the female maid, before gently closing the door to her hotel room. After placing the tray on the desk beside her computer, she gritted her teeth as she made a fist with her right hand.

_I will find you Sensei Ikiagi_, Gekiryushi thought, anger now surging through her. _Even if it means searching all of LINK VRAINS. And once I do, you will answer for everything you've done!_

_At Den Academy, in the middle of the afternoon…_

"Yuhiro!" Rachel called out as she caught up to him. "I was wondering if you would be able to hang out for a bit before going home."

Yuhiro shook his head. "I can't," he answered. "I have work with Roxy."

Rachel pouted. "Aw come on. Can't you call her and ask for the day off? Considering how the two of you are roommates, I'm sure she would understand."

Yuhiro simply rolled his eyes at Rachel's comment. _I know how that conversation would go_, he thought. "This work I'm doing is important to Roxy and me. She can't do it without me." Roxy did know how to duel, and she had a killer deck of her own to prove it. However, she preferred to work behind the scenes as tech support, while he went into LINK VRAINS for missions.

"Could it wait?" Rachel seemed nervous as she asked the question. "I wanted to continue our conversation from the other day. About... what I said."

Yuhiro narrowed his eyes as he recalled what Rachel told him before leaving. _You accept me for who I am_. She was a human being, just like everyone else, so of course he would accept her as one. However, there probably was a deeper meaning behind what she said.

He had to admit, he was curious about what Rachel said, but he also needed to go into LINK VRAINS. Despite there being less Knights in the network, that didn't mean the Hanoi decided to take a vacation. They instead decided to continue attacking LINK VRAINS, even though their plan involving the 'Anothers' failed.

But before Yuhiro could say anything, he saw none other than Naoki sitting on a bench, looking at his tablet in excitement. Out of curiosity, Yuhiro walked up behind him and glanced over his shoulder.

"Yes! Yes!" Naoki said excitedly. "Crush those Knights, Stregone!" Yuhiro raised an eyebrow. The tablet showed Stregone on his duel board, dueling two Knights of Hanoi.

"Exploder Magician, attack Steelswarm Scout! Magical Salvo!" Stregone declared. Exploder Magician fired several bursts of magical energy from his hands, burning the small bug and sending the Knight of Hanoi off his duel board. "You too, Tempest Magician! Attack Slot Machine! Moonlight Slash!" Tempest Magician slashed Slot Machine in two using her scythe, destroying the monster and sending the second Knight of Hanoi flying off his duel board as well.

"That was awesome!" Naoki cheered. "Two Synchro monsters? This guy is certainly amazing!"

"Shiba, what is this?"

Naoki turned his head over his shoulder and saw Yuhiro. Upon doing so, he almost shrieked in surprise. "Oh, Furutani! I was- Wait a minute! I told you before! It's Shima, Naoki Shima!"

"Right." Yuhiro replied. "What are you watching?"

Naoki smiled. "Stregone! He showed up a while ago and is fighting the Hanoi with Go Onizuka!" He turned back to his tablet. "From what I'm seeing, it looks like Den City's duelists can kick major ass. Go, Stregone!"

Seeing that Naoki had forgotten about him, Yuhiro frowned as he thought over what Naoki told him. With Stregone in LINK VRAINS, it made fighting the Hanoi much easier, especially since he formed an alliance with him and the others in the first place. Besides, he deserved a break, and perhaps spending the afternoon with Rachel was a good idea after all.

_I guess now's a good time to figure out what I really think of Rachel_, Yuhiro thought, as he turned to the girl, who was watching him with a curious smile. "Okay. I'll send Roxy a text and let her know I'll be back late. Do you have somewhere in mind?"

Rachel's smile turned wide upon hearing Yuhiro's answer. "Yup. I found this place that I think you'll enjoy very much. Come on!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the school, much to Yuhiro's surprise.

"H-Hey! Hold on! I can walk on my own two feet, you know!"

_At an apartment in Den City..._

"Dear lord," Greg muttered as the blue sphere disappeared around him. He stood up from one of the two beds in the apartment and slowly got up to prevent himself from falling. After regaining his senses, he stood up and headed over to the desk in front of him. Once he sat down, he plugged in his Duel Disk into the computer and downloaded the data from his duels against the Knights of Hanoi.

He had to admit, there were far less Knights since the 'Another' threat ended, which made his job easier. However, they were still out there, which made them a threat to LINK VRAINS.

Immediately, he sent the data to the same email address that Watchman provided him and Rachel with before. And within moments, there was a short 'Thank You' as a reply, which included a cash payment along with a few programs.

_Note to self_, Greg thought. _Find out who Watchman is_. He then seethed upon reading the text that Rachel sent him, which read:

_I'm spending time with Yuhiro today. Will be back before dinner. _

_Love you._

"No, no, no, Rachel." Greg muttered. After taking Rachel back home to the apartment the other night, he immediately told her about what he found online. About Project VIII and how Yuhiro was on that list. She was shocked upon learning the information, and it led her to theorize that he was Raguel. Regardless of what she thought, Greg made her promise not to tell anyone, not even Yuhiro of what she just learned. Not just for her safety, but for his as well.

He immediately hacked into the Den Academy's cameras, and just as the text confirmed, Rachel was hanging out with Yuhiro again. Although she told him that Yuhiro was a good and kind person, it wasn't his personality that worried Greg.

He recently tried hacking into Café Matsuo's systems, but was immediately blocked out, only this time, the screen showed a small, white figure saying, "Try harder next time" before timing out. There's no way a simple fast-food restaurant would have highly advanced security. _Unless it was a front_, Greg realized. But a front for what exactly?

Greg sighed. He never wanted Rachel involved in any of this. Not after she endured so much, especially six years ago. But her desire to prevent others from experiencing the same, if not similar pain she had eventually led to him agreeing for her help. With conditions, of course.

_Rachel_, Greg thought. _I know that you can be stubborn. But let's just hope that what you're doing is right. Because if it isn't, I fear it will be the end of us._

_Elsewhere in Den City..._

Yuhiro blinked in surprise upon what was in front of him. "Hold on? You mean Uchida Industries? _The_ Uchida Industries?" he asked Rachel, who nodded. The two of them were standing outside a tall skyscraper in the middle of Den City called Uchida Industries. Although Yuhiro heard of the company before, he never went inside of it. "You do realize we'll need passes to get in, right?"

"You mean these things?" Rachel asked, pulling out two silver cards, surprising Yuhiro.

"How did you-?"

"My guardian knows someone who works here." Rachel answered, as she started walking towards the entrance, with Yuhiro following. "He gave the passes to him, who gave the passes to me. Now come on, let's go inside and have some fun!"

The two of them entered the skyscraper. Yuhiro saw a lot of employees inside, which wasn't surprising, considering how the place was popular. In fact, it had the potential to rival the popularity of SOL Technologies. Once they reached the front desk, they presented their passes to the receptionist there, who registered and directed them to the nearby elevator afterwards.

On Rachel's insistence, they went up to the 6th floor, where Yuhiro found out that they sold different types of technology there.

"I didn't know you were interested in technology." Yuhiro said, as he walked around the exhibit with Rachel.

"I've always found technology interesting, especially as to it's many functions." Rachel explained, as they stopped at an exhibit showing a small data chip. "Like this data chip here. The S-66. It may be small on the outside, but the fact that it can hold six terabytes worth of additional data makes it a very powerful piece of technology. Sometimes, people underestimate someone or something just because of their outside appearance. They don't bother hearing or seeing their true potential."

"Interesting." Immediately, Yuhiro saw something that caught his eye, and as he started walking towards it, Rachel followed him. They were soon staring at what looked like a grey, moving metal in a glass cube. "No freakin way."

"What is that?" Rachel asked.

"That is _the_ Dascium metal that Uchida Industries recently mined a couple months ago." Yuhiro answered, who was in awe at what he was seeing. "I just can't believe I'm seeing it with my own eyes right now. And it's somehow moving on it's own. I thought that wasn't possible until now."

"And what you're seeing my boy is proof that the impossible is the possible that is yet to be discovered."

Both Rachel and Yuhiro jumped and whirled around at the voice behind them. The tall man behind them wore a black business suit underneath his pale skin. He was bald, with light brown eyes. What distinguished him the most, however, was a large burnt scar covering the entire left side of his head and barely creeping up to his face.

"My apologies for startling you both," he said, smiling at them. "I-. Interesting. I never expected people as young as you to visit the company."

"We wanted to look at the technology being displayed." Rachel said. "It's actually very interesting."

"Thank you Miss...?"

"Rachel Miyake." Rachel answered, bowing slightly.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Miyake," the man said. "My name is Emon Uchida."

"Hold on. You're Emon Uchida?" Yuhiro asked. "_The_ Emon Uchida that founded Uchida Industries?"

"That's correct my boy." Emon confirmed, turning to him. "And you are?"

"Yuhiro Furutani." Yuhiro answered, bowing slightly. "A pleasure to meet you, sir." When he looked up, he was surprised to see Emon offer him his hand, intending for him to shake it.

"And a pleasure to meet you as well, Furutani." Emon replied, waiting for him to shake it. Yuhiro immediately took Emon's hand and shook it, but as he did so, he noticed something on his face that disturbed him. Was that a-?

"Anyway." Emon said. "Is there a particular exhibit you want to see?"

"Well," Yuhiro answered. "I was wondering if there are any other dascium exhibits on this floor."

"Hold on." Rachel interrupted. "But there's this exhibit I want to go and see first." She walked to Emon, who leaned down so she can whisper something in his ear. After his eyes widened in surprise, he smirked.

"Ah, I didn't know you were into that," he said. "Not to worry. The exhibit you're looking for is luckily still on display. Since they're both on the same floor, why don't I take you two there?"

Emon soon led them to another part of the floor, which showed exhibits regarding the technology of tomorrow. It showed several different ways on how the dascium metal would revolutionize different aspects of human life, such as production, national defense, technology, everyday life, etc.

"And the exhibit you're looking for, is that way." Emon said to Rachel, as he pointed his left hand to another exhibit that was on a nearby section of the floor.

"Thank you." Rachel said to Emon. Turning to Yuhiro, Rachel added, "I'll be back in a bit. Have fun at the Dascium exhibit." And she hurried off in the direction Emon showed her.

_There's something about that Furutani kid I can't exactly figure out_, Emon thought, as he watched Yuhiro look around the dascium exhibits. _It's like this itch on the back of my head that doesn't go away. Perhaps talking to him will confirm my suspicions_.

"I must say, I'm surprised."

Yuhiro turned around as Emon approached him.

"Forgive me," the founder said. "It's just... most of the people that come here are either a few years older than you, after they've completed college, or stakeholders looking to invest in the company." He turned his head to look at one of the dascium exhibits. "In all my life so far, it's quite rare to meet a teenager as young as you, especially one who is interested in technology. If I may ask: What exactly piques your interest in technology?"

"Simple. I like how it evolves and brings change to human life." Yuhiro answered, as he turned his head to look at the dascium exhibit Emon was looking at. "Technology has the capability to bring amazing wonders to humanity. But, as humans, it is our responsibility to utilize it for the greater good."

"A good point you bring up." Emon said, raising an eyebrow. He turned his head to look at Yuhiro. "But what about the people who use it for evil? How do you solve that problem?"

This got Yuhiro's attention, as he turned his head to look at the older man. "Through the power of the media. If enough people become aware of what's really going on, pressure will be put on them to stop. And if they don't willingly stop, they'll be forced to."

Emon was impressed. He never encountered someone with a point of view like that. "You seem to have put a great deal of thought into this. Let me ask you this: In your opinion, how do you think the dascium metal we've mined will change the world?"

Yuhiro put a hand to his chin as he thought about it for a full minute. After thinking, he said, "I believe that dascium will be used for a variety of purposes, such as reinforcing buildings and creating new products. Considering how it's moving, if the company were to determine what it's composed of, they'll be able to revolutionize many areas of human life. The possibilities are endless."

Emon smiled. "I must say, I'm impressed. To think that someone as young as you would have an answer like that. Well done."

"Thank you, sir."

"Ah, there you are."

Yuhiro and Emon turned around, only to see Rachel carry what looked like a small bag.

"I take it you got something from the nearby souvenir shop?" Emon asked her, to which Rachel nodded. He then led the two back to the elevator, and the three of them went back down to the first floor.

"I do hope you enjoyed touring a part of Uchida Industries." Emon said to them, as they approached the front desk of the first floor.

"I sure did. Thank you very much." Rachel said, heading to the exit.

Yuhiro was about to follow her, but Emon put a hand on his shoulder, motioning him to stay in place.

"You got a minute?" Emon asked him, causing Yuhiro to turn around and face the older man.

"What's up?"

"I must say. You got a great mind when it comes to technology. Especially one that is focused on using it not just for good, but responsibly as well."

"Uh, thanks?"

"I wish there were more people like that. In fact." Emon pulled out a business card from his wallet and handed it to Yuhiro. "If you ever decide to work here one day, whether it's for an internship or a job, give me a call. We'll be more than happy to welcome you to the team."

"Thank you, sir. I will consider it." Yuhiro then headed towards the exit, where Rachel was waiting for him.

_That boy definitely looks familiar_, Emon thought. _Best I get my theories in order once I get home_.

"Never thought would I actually get to meet Emon Uchida. Roxy is going to be jealous." Yuhiro said. "What exactly is in that bag of yours?"

"The S-66 chip." Rachel answered him. "Turns out they had a few in shop, so I got one when I had the chance."

"I see. So, where to now?"

This question surprised Rachel. "You're letting me decide?"

"I am." Yuhiro replied.

Seeing that he was serious, Rachel thought for a moment, then said, "There's an amusement park that's about ten minutes away from here. That might be fun to visit."

Yuhiro thought about it then nodded. "Lead the way." The two set off down the road.

"I'm glad you had an enjoyable time at Uchida Industries." Rachel said, giggling as they walked a block. "Never thought would I meet someone who's just as interested in technology as me."

Yuhiro shrugged his shoulders. "Same here." He was going to continue talking, but then he saw something that made him stop walking.

"It's a good thing that we both agree, Yuhiro." Rachel said, as she kept walking. "Who knows, we might have-." She finally realized that Yuhiro wasn't walking and turned around. She walked back to him. "Yuhiro?" she asked, but he didn't seem to notice her as he stared across the street. Rachel turned to see what he was looking at.

It was a medium-sized house across the street. Unfortunately, the house was destroyed beyond repair. Yuhiro stared at that house as though his life depended on it.

"Yuhiro?" Rachel asked again. And once again, Yuhiro didn't hear her. All he could remember was that night _before_ the Lost Incident. The screams he heard. The cackling of monsters, as they stormed the house, seeking their prey. And a voice telling him to...

"Yuhiro?" This time, Rachel grabbed his arm, yanking him back to reality. He gasped and turned to her. Rachel had a worried expression on her face. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah," he said, looking from her back to the destroyed house. "Just a bad memory. That's all." He turned to start walking again, but Rachel didn't let go of his arm.

"You're not getting off that easily, Yuhiro," she said, her expression stern. "What's wrong?"

"Like I said, it was just a bad memory, nothing more. It's not important to you."

"But it seems to really bother you." Rachel stated. "Will you please tell me what's on your mind?" And she gave him the saddest hangdog look she could, in an attempt to persuade Yuhiro to talk to her.

He sighed, knowing that he'd eventually cave in for the sad puppy dog eyes Rachel gave him. "Alright. Fine. But in exchange, you have to answer one of my questions. Deal?"

Rachel nodded. "Deal. So tell me what that house means to you."

Yuhiro frowned as his thoughts turned inward. "Do you remember when I told you I don't remember my parents?"

"Yes."

He closed his eyes and sighed as he turned to the side. "I meant that. I don't remember anything about my parents. And any memories I did have of them were completely destroyed that night all those years ago."

"What do you mean?"

Yuhiro frowned as he remembered the screams. "The trauma occurred during that night made me lose both the happy and sad times I had with my parents. Even if I were to remember anything of them, it would be how I watched as they were hunted down like pigs to the slaughter, with nothing but the destruction of the house around their bodies."

Rachel gasped as he turned to look at her. "I'm so sorry. I... I didn't realize."

"I answered your question." Yuhiro said, as his face turned back to his usual expression. "Now it's time to answer one of mine. You said something happened to your parents. What exactly was it?"

Rachel opened her mouth, but gave him a sad smile. "Asking that right off the bat, huh? Okay. Just give me a minute to collect my thoughts." She closed her eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again. "They abandoned me six years ago, at a family friend they thought they could trust." She hissed at the word 'trust'.

"Oh," was all Yuhiro could say. He didn't expect Rachel to say that. "Why would they do that?"

Rachel turned back to look at the house. "My parents owned a small business in Den City many years ago. Unfortunately, in a time where people mainly focused on the newest technology being offered on the market, they could not make enough money to keep the store running, and had to close."

"I didn't know."

"That was just the beginning." Rachel spat out. "Even after closing the store, we did not have enough to pay back the debtors, and as a result, we had to move from shelter to shelter to avoid being homeless. At one point, my parents left me at an old family friend that I thought I could trust. That was my biggest mistake."

"Your biggest mistake?"

"Yes! And as a result, I endured hell." Rachel said, turning away from Yuhiro. "The man I was with repeatedly exposed me to experiments in order to enhance my intellect, to see if he can make me the next 'super-genius' or whatever he told me. If I even failed, or the results were not to his liking, he would abuse me." She shuddered as she recalled the memories.

Yuhiro was shocked in hearing this. This poor girl was traumatized at a young age, just like him, and was not even a victim of the Lost Incident. He slowly approached her and tried to put his right hand on her shoulder. "Rachel, I-." But that was all he could say, as she turned around and slapped his hand away, a look of fury and sadness in her eyes.

"Day after day, night after night, the experiments and abuse continued!" Rachel cried out. "In that time, I wondered why life dealt me this cruel hand, and whether I would retain my sanity or-!"

Feeling nothing but sympathy and compassion for Rachel, Yuhiro took a step forward and pulled her in for a tight embrace, surprising even her.

"You are so young." Yuhiro said. "You don't deserve to be in pain. You deserve to be happy, Rachel."

"Why... do you hold me?" Rachel asked.

"When I was at the Den City Shelter, a good and kind man held me when I was young, just like you are." Yuhiro answered, kneeling to her level, and placing both of his hands on her shoulders. "When he did, I felt safe, and loved. So you too."

"Me... too?" Rachel muttered, fresh tears coming out of her eyes. She then stepped forward and hugged Yuhiro, letting all her sadness out, all while he hugged her back.

After Yuhiro managed to calm Rachel down, the two of them found a nearby bench and sat down, catching a breather as they looked out into the blue and fresh sky.

"A year after the hellish abuse began, the whole operation was shut down because of an FBI raid." Rachel stated, getting Yuhiro's attention. "My guardian, the man whom you met outside of Café Nagi, saved my life that day. He adopted me afterwards."

"Your guardian must have had a huge heart to do that." Yuhiro said, a small smile on his face. It reminded him of Roxy, and how much of a mother she could be at times.

"He always had a huge heart, and wanted to make sure I wouldn't suffer from harm again." Rachel said, agreeing with him. "But even with all the help he provided, he couldn't prevent the side effects from affecting my life."

"The side effects?" Yuhiro asked.

"When I went back to school, I found out that the experiments I went through greatly increased my intelligence." Rachel clarified. "To the point where I was much smarter than other kids my age. And as a result, no one wanted to hang out with me, especially someone who's mind was superior to others."

She turned her head to look at Yuhiro, a small smile on her face.. "But you... you are the only one who decided to hang out with me. You didn't care about whether I was smarter than other people. You chose to accept me as an equal, as a human being."

_You accept me for who I am_. Yuhiro remembered the words Rachel told him. This was what she meant all along!

"Thank you for telling me this, Rachel." Yuhiro said to the girl. "I promise you, you're secret is safe with me."

"As is yours." Rachel replied. But before she could continue talking, both her and Yuhiro's phones started ringing, startling them. When Yuhiro looked at his screen, he raised an eyebrow. Roxy wouldn't call unless it was an emergency.

"Excuse me." Yuhiro said to Rachel, as he walked a distance away so neither of them could hear the other's conversation on their phone.

"What's wrong, Roxy?" he whispered.

"I need you to head back home," Roxy said. "This is an emergency."

Yuhiro narrowed his eyes. This was serious. "Okay. I'll be back at Café Matsuo in 15 minutes." He hung up after that and headed to the bench where Rachel was. When he got there, he noticed her packing her things.

"You have to go home too?" he asked, getting Rachel's attention.

"I'm afraid so." Rachel answered. "Thank you for spending the afternoon with me."

"No problem. I'll see you tomorrow." He started to turn around and walk back to Café Matsuo, but Rachel stepped forward and grabbed his arm.

"There's something I need to ask you, before I go," she said.

Yuhiro turned around to face her. "Sure. What is it?"

Rachel was nervous for a minute, before gathering up the courage to ask, "Do you... think of me as a friend, Yuhiro?"

There were a few moments of silence between the two as Yuhiro gathered his thoughts together. He then patted Rachel's head, causing her to look up at him. "Yeah. We are friends. Don't ever forget about that."

Rachel's eyes widened in surprise, but then she smiled. "Thank you, Yuhiro. I'll see you tomorrow at school." She then turned around and started walking away from him, back to her apartment in Den City.

_Stay safe, Rachel_, Yuhiro thought, as he started running back to Café Matsuo. Whatever was going on, the Hanoi definitely had a part to play. He was sure of it.

_Twenty minutes later..._

Yuhiro ran into Café Matsuo, ignoring the greeting from the steward bot behind the counter. He immediately headed into the backroom, only to find Roxy looking at the monitors.

"What's going on, Roxy?" Yuhiro asked, getting her attention.

"Nothing but bad news, buddy." Roxy replied, motioning to the seat beside her. "Have a seat. There's something you need to see."

After Yuhiro sat down in his seat, Roxy then clicked on a video that was on the monitor. Once the video started playing, it showed what looked like a teen in massive, light blue armor with a 'B' in the middle of his chest, and wearing a helmet with a green visor and black strap dueling a Knight of Hanoi. What caught Yuhiro's attention was when said teen used Cyberse Wizard to defeat the Knight. _Yusaku's_ Cyberse Wizard.

"From what Kusanagi told me, the guy in the video who somehow obtained Cyberse Wizard during his duel is _this_ dumbass." Roxy explained, typing a few key words in the search bar. After doing so, Yuhiro couldn't help but facepalm upon seeing the grinning picture of _Naoki Shima_.

"Shima? Seriously?" Yuhiro asked in disbelief. "And how the hell did he get Fujiki's Cyberse Wizard?"

"Beats me," Roxy said, turning her chair to face Yuhiro. "But as long as he has that card, he'll be a target for the Hanoi."

"Do we seriously have to save him?" Yuhiro asked, as the video showed Shima, also known as Brave Max in LINK VRAINS, dabbing in celebration with other onlookers.

Roxy crossed her arms in response to his comment.

"Ugh. Fine. We'll save him." Yuhiro conceded.

"Trust me when I say this, Yuhiro." Herald said, emerging from his Duel Disk. "When Roxy has a point, do not fight it. You of _all_ people should know that."

"Not helping, Herald." Yuhiro whispered.

Roxy then started typing on the digital keyboard. "I'll provide you with the coordinates within a few moments. In the meanwhile, head to the closed-off space and log into LINK VRAINS. If you find Playmaker, then the chances of finding Shima will double."

"Got it." Yuhiro headed to the closed-off space, but just when he was about to open the door, he turned around and faced Roxy. "Hey. Is it me, or have you and Kusanagi actually-?"

"GO!" Roxy shouted, pointing her finger at the closed-off space. Yuhiro, who was startled by her comment, went in, and closed the door.

He put his deck in his Duel Disk and said, "Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

As soon as Raguel landed on his duel board, he released a few E.M.S.'s to scour the area for any signs of Brave Max. While he was speeding on the data stream, looking for Brave Max, he found Playmaker ahead of him.

"Yo, Playmaker!"

Playmaker turned around and saw that Raguel was behind him.

"Raguel. I'm assuming you're here for the same reason?" Playmaker asked him, as he moved his duel board to be beside him.

"Unfortunately so." Raguel answered, rolling his eyes. "But even if we have to save the Neanderthal known as Shima, it does give us a chance to confront the other remaining Knights of Hanoi."

"Which could direct us to Revolver and Infearno." Herald concluded.

"Hello, Herald!" Ai said, waving his right arm.

"Hello to you too, Ai." Herald replied, returning the gesture. "Have you gotten into anymore escapades lately?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I turned this duel disk into a flying drone!" Ai said, bragging about his latest accomplishment.

"Wait. You can fly?"

"Yup. Ai can fly!"

"Which isn't important right now." Playmaker interrupted Ai, silencing him. He turned to face Raguel. "Kusanagi is trying to find Shima in the real world as we speak. Is Roxy-?"

"She's sending Shima's coordinates as we speak." Raguel answered. In that moment, a notification appeared on his Duel Disk. "Looks like she sent the coordinates on where Shima is. Follow me."

Playmaker nodded, and followed Raguel to save Brave Max. And hopefully for the _only_ time.

_In another area of LINK VRAINS..._

Faust and Dancho were looking at Brave Max, the person who claimed to be Playmaker's 'best friend', on the top of a skyscraper. And based on Dancho's facial expression, he was not impressed.

"This is the 'guy'?" Dancho whispered to Faust.

"Unfortunately so." Faust whispered back.

"I don't know what the two of you are talking about." Brave Max said, getting their attention. "But zapping someone unconscious is a big no-no, you know."

"I've done much worse." Faust replied. Looking up towards the sky, he said, "I know you're watching, Playmaker and Raguel. My name is Faust, and beside me is Dancho. Come and face us. Or relieving your sidekick of his Cyberse Wizard will be the least of your worries."

"Fat chance!" Brave Max said. "Playmaker trusted me with that card, so you can't have it!"

"Then we'll duel for the card." Faust replied, readying himself for a duel.

"A duel?" Brave Max repeated, as he panicked and stepped backwards. Upon looking behind him, he noticed that he was at the edge of the skyscraper!

"I'll handle this." Dancho interjected, as energy was generated around his fist. Raising his right arm to aim, he then jerked his right arm back for a moment before extending it out again, firing the energy out and hitting Brave Max's stomach. As a result, he dropped to his knees as Dancho walked over to him.

"Now let's get back to the topic at hand, shall we?" Dancho said, as he grabbed Brave Max's finger between his own index finger and thumb, with the pinky held upright.

Brave Max gasped upon what he was seeing. "The Wuxi Finger Hold! Not the Wuxi Finger Hold!"

"Oh, so you know this hold?"

Brave Max nodded in response, causing Dancho to smile. "I thought that move only existed in the _Kung Fu Panda_ movies."

"Oh, but it's real." Dancho replied. "Based on your knowledge, you already know what happens when I flex my pinky, correct?"

"No, no, no! Anything but that!" Brave Max pleaded.

"You know what the hardest part of this technique is?" Dancho said, chuckling. "The hardest part... is cleaning up afterwards. If you don't give us the Cyberse Wizard right now, you might as well kiss your sorry ass goodbye!" Brave Max widened his eyes in terror upon hearing that threat.

"No one's dying today! Got that, Dancho!" Raguel said, as he and Playmaker leapt onto the top of the skyscraper, getting Dancho and Faust's attention.

"Your duel is with me as well, Faust." Playmaker added, pointing his right index finger at Faust.

"Playmaker!" Brave Max shouted with joy, releasing his hand from Dancho's grasp and running to where he and Raguel were. "It's really you!"

"My card please." Playmaker said to Brave Max, who gave it to him immediately. He then turned to Faust and Dancho. "If your plan was to draw us out into the open, then congratulations. It worked. But the both of you have crossed the line. By stealing my card data from me, and then giving it to this amateur." Brave Max's jaw dropped in hearing that, while Herald laughed in response to Playmaker's comment.

"He just roasted you, Brave Max!" Herald said, laughing at him. Even Raguel couldn't help but smirk. After what Naoki did, it was only right that he be called out, and be roasted for his actions.

Dancho narrowed his eyes upon seeing Herald. "So what Infearno said is true. You do have an Ignis, Raguel."

"I do." Raguel confirmed, turning to face the older Hanoi member. "But know that, as long as I have breath, and a purpose to fight, I won't let you take him!"

Dancho smirked. "We shall see about that. After all, I have upgraded my Tenyi deck just for this duel. Not even you can withstand it's true power once unleashed!"

"So be it!" Raguel replied. "Bring it-!"

"SENSEI IKIAGI!"

Everyone looked up upon hearing the new voice. It was SengokuQueen, riding on her duel board and heading right towards them. She then jumped off and fired her light-green Duel Anchor at Dancho, which snaked its way around his wrist as she landed where they were.

"She knows who you are?" Faust asked Dancho, his eyes widening in surprise. Dancho's expression, however, did not change.

"She does." Dancho confirmed, staring at SengokuQueen. "Our long awaited meeting has come at last, _Gekiryushi_."

SengokuQueen took off her samurai helmet in response. "How could you do this, Sensei?" she asked, angry upon seeing him. "Siding with the Hanoi and causing chaos? It goes against everything you taught me all those years ago! And I thought you were dead too!"

Dancho smirked. "Really? You dare accuse me of betraying my own teachings? You are no better! I've seen what you've done. You've used what I taught you to be a bounty hunter! To complete menial tasks for the corrupt higher ups of SOL Technologies!"

"Drama bomb!" Brave Max interjected, causing everyone to glare at him, shutting him up in the process.

"You know him, SengokuQueen?" Raguel asked her, getting SengokuQueen's attention.

"Yes. A long time ago." she answered him. Turning to Dancho, SengokuQueen said, "When I saw your name on that list, I was, and still am, in complete denial. My master could never be as vile as you are right now!"

"Zandaka Ikiagi was weak. I destroyed him." Dancho countered, emphasizing those last words.

SengokuQueen's eyes widened for a brief moment before narrowing them at her former sensei. "Then I will avenge his death," she said, putting her samurai helmet on and readying her Duel Disk.

"Revenge is not the Shinpi-Tekina way." Dancho stated, readying his own Duel Disk.

"I'm no student of yours." SengokuQueen countered. The two of them then ran to the edge of the skyscraper, jumped off, and landed on their respective duel boards, speeding away in the process.

"I'm going after SengokuQueen and Dancho." Raguel said to Playmaker. "Good luck against Faust."

"Good luck as well." Playmaker said back, as Raguel headed to the edge of the skyscraper, jumped off, and landed on his duel board, speeding away from him, Faust, and Brave Max.

"Where are they, Herald?" Raguel asked.

"Up ahead." Herald replied. Within moments, Raguel found SengokuQueen and Dancho, who were about to engage in a duel.

"If you intend to continue with this course of action," Dancho said, "expect me to show no mercy. Especially to someone who was once my student."

"And as your former student," SengokuQueen snarled back, "know I won't hold anything back! Not against the man you've become!"

"Speed Duel!" the two of them shouted in unison.

**SengokuQueen: 4000 LP**

**Dancho: 4000 LP**

Dancho then threw a digital card into the air, which glowed blue. In mere moments, the winds in LINK VRAINS started picking up, momentarily unbalancing SengokuQueen before she could regain it.

"With the Data Gale in place, I shall go first!" Dancho declared, looking at his hand. "I activate my Field Spell, Flawless Perfection of the Tenyi! Now all non-effect monsters I control are unaffected by monster effects!" SengokuQueen grit her teeth. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"Next, I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Shthana from my hand! Since I control no effect monsters, I can Special Summon it from my hand!" A misty light-blue serpentine dragon joined Dancho's field and roared at SengokuQueen.

**Tenyi Spirit – Shthana ATK: 400 DEF: 2000 LVL: 4**

"Now appear! The circuit of mystical chi!" Dancho declared, as a Link Portal opened ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are one non-Link 'Tenyi' monster! I'll set Tenyi Spirit – Shthana into the Link Markers!" Shthana entered the bottom arrowhead around the portal, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Join your master! Link 1! Monk of the Tenyi!" A young teenage male, wearing what looked like to be a brown Gi with a dragon symbol on it and a red belt, appeared on the field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Monk of the Tenyi ATK: 1000 LINK-1 **⬇️

SengokuQueen's eyes widened upon seeing Monk of the Tenyi. _That Link Monster looks exactly like Dancho's son_, she thought. _From all those years ago_.

"I Set one card. Then I activate the Spell card, Vessel for the Dragon Cycle! I can send a Wyrm monster from my deck to my Graveyard. In addition, should I control a face-up non-effect monster, I can add a 'Tenyi' monster from my deck to my hand, as long as it has a different name!" Using Vessel for the Dragon Cycle's effects, Dancho sent Tenyi Spirit – Nahata from his deck to the Graveyard, and then added Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda from his deck to his hand.

"I end my turn," he finally concluded. Turning to SengokuQueen, he added, "Let's see what you've got."

"My turn! I draw!" SengokuQueen declared, drawing the top card of her deck, and adding it to her hand. _He's trying to bait me_, she thought. _I don't want to destroy a monster who represents something as meaningful as his son, but to defeat him, I can't hold anything back_.

"First, I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Six Samurai United! Now every time a 'Six Samurai' monster is Normal or Special Summoned, I can place a 'Bushido' counter on this card, with the maximum being two at a time! Next, I activate Shien's Smoke Signal! This card lets me add a Level 3 or lower 'Six Samurai' monster from my deck to my hand!" Using Shien's Smoke Signal, SengokuQueen added Elder of the Six Samurai to her hand.

_She's setting up her combo_, Dancho thought, as he looked at her field. _Little does she realize that even something as formidable as the Bushido combo can be destroyed easily_!

"Since I control no monsters," SengokuQueen explained, "I can Special Summon Elder of the Six Samurai from my hand!" An old man wearing a white robe with a magenta turban and red glasses appeared on SengokuQueen's field. The old man was in a mechanical, walking throne, which had four legs and a crossbow on either side.

**Elder of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 0 LV: 3**

"The effect of Six Samurai United activates, letting me put a Bushido counter on it!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"I activate Flawless Perfection of the Tenyi's effect!" Dancho suddenly said. "Once per turn, if you Special Summon an effect monster while I control a face-down or non-effect monster, I get to draw two cards from my deck!" Immediately, Dancho proceeded to draw the top two cards of his deck. Upon looking at them, he smirked. _These cards will put her in her rightful place_, he thought.

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Aestheticism of the Six Samurai!" SengokuQueen continued. "This card lets me target one 'Six Samurai' monster I control, and by doing so, I get to Special Summon a 'Six Samurai' monster from my deck with the exact attack points but a different name!" A card popped out of her deck. "Come forth, Kagemusha of the Six Samurai!" A samurai with dark brown armor and shin pads with yellow lines covering his entire body joined SengokuQueen's field. Unlike his brethren, this samurai's mask was a bit taller vertically, and its mask covered his face up to his eyes. Kagemusha cracked his whip, ready for battle.

**Kagemusha of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LVL: 2**

"United's effect!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 1 + 1 = 2**

"I activate the second effect of Six Samurai United!" SengokuQueen quickly added. "Since the maximum counters it can have is two, I will send it to the Graveyard, and by doing so, I can draw one card for each Bushido counter that was on it. As there were two Bushido counters, I get to draw two cards!" She drew the top two cards of her deck. _These will come in handy_, she thought.

"Now I summon The Six Samurai – Yaichi from my hand!" A samurai wearing bronze armor with yellow glowing outlines appeared on SengokuQueen's field. The samurai had long, black hair, tied in a ponytail at the end. Unlike his comrades, his samurai helmet was tall, and had a scope on the right side. On his left side was a quiver, carrying arrows. He strung his bow and arrow at Dancho, ready for battle.

**The Six Samurai – Yaichi ATK: 1300 DEF: 800 LV: 3**

"Yaichi's effect!" SengokuQueen said. "Once per turn, if I control another 'Six Samurai' monster, I can target one Set Spell or Trap card on your field and destroy it! Say goodbye to your only facedown card!" Yaichi grabbed a glowing arrow from his quiver and fired it at the facedown card, turning it into particles.

Dancho's reaction upon seeing this was to simply smirk at SengokuQueen.

"Do you really think that would work against me?" Dancho asked, causing SengokuQueen to gasp. This wasn't the reaction she was hoping. "I upgraded my deck to duel Raguel and Playmaker, and now your action will result in seeing one of it's new tricks!"

"New tricks?" Raguel repeated. "What does he mean, Herald?"

"It means that whatever this guy has got planned, it can't be anything but good." Herald answered him.

"I activate the effect of Fists of the Unrivaled Tenyi from my Graveyard!" Dancho said. "If this Set card is destroyed by a card effect, I can Special Summon a non-effect monster from my Extra Deck!"

"What?" SengokuQueen and Raguel said at the same time, shocked by what they just heard. Soon, a Link Portal appeared in front of Dancho, as three tornadoes of energy erupted from his Graveyard and went into the top, upper-right, and bottom-right arrowheads, turning them red.

"Circuit combine!" Dancho declared. "Link Summon! The fallen student shall raze everything in his path to obtain the ultimate power! Link 3! Berserker of the Tenyi!" A muscular, shirtless, humanly looking ogre wearing pants with dragon symbols emerged from the Link Portal and appeared in the Main Monster Zone Monk of the Tenyi was pointing to. The ogre had granite like skin on his hands and shoulders, which gave him a corrupted appearance. He had long billy goat horns on his head, and long, bushy blue hair that went down to the back of his waist. Upon recognizing SengokuQueen, Berserker of the Tenyi roared at her.

**Berserker of the Tenyi ATK: 3000 LINK-3 **⬆️↗️↘️

"A Link 3 monster with 3000 attack points?" Herald said, worried at what he was seeing.

"I've never seen anything like it before." Raguel said. _So this is what Dancho meant when he said he upgraded his deck_, he thought. _He not only obtained more Link Monsters, but also found a way to summon them without any materials. And as an added bonus, he can do this on his opponent's turn as well if needed_.

SengokuQueen, who was looking at Berserker of the Tenyi, widened her eyes in horror upon seeing him. _That's Dancho's former student_, she thought. _The one who destroyed everything that was dear to me a long time ago_.

_Flashback: Eleven years ago..._

"Run!" Gekiryushi told a group of villagers, pointing the way to the village gates. The villagers immediately headed there, wanting to escape the ever present danger. She, however, headed for the opposite direction.

Earlier, one of Zandaka Ikiagi's students, whom she knew as Arakan, attacked the village, hellbent on obtaining the power of Sahasrara for himself. She knew that he would be headed for the Shinpi-Tekina dojo to confront Zandaka and his son, Kataru, who were both in his way. That was why she couldn't let him harm the people that meant so much to her.

"Kataru! Sensei Ikiagi!" Gekiryushi called out to them, as she ran as fast as she could to the dojo.

"Gekiryushi? Is that you?" a voice asked. Gekiryushi turned around, and recognized the teenage male wearing a brown Gi with a dragon symbol on it and a red belt. She pulled him in for a quick embrace.

"Where's Sensei Ikiagi?" Gekiryushi asked Kataru.

CRASH!

Both Gekiryushi and Kataru turned upon hearing that sound, only to see Zandaka get thrown right into the dojo!

"We have to help him!" Kataru stated. Gekiryushi, nodding her head, followed him to the dojo.

Meanwhile, Zandaka was sent flying all the way into the dragon chamber, and rolled unceremoniously on the floor until he slowed down.

"And here you were weak, old man," the voice of Arakan said, as Zandaka looked up at what he had become. Arakan had granite like skin on his hands and shoulders, which gave him a corrupted appearance. He had long billy goat horns on his head, and long, bushy blue hair that went down to the back of his waist. "You must realize now that only I am worthy to obtain the power of Sahasrara."

"How could you do this?" Zandaka asked him, trying to get up, only to find out that he couldn't. "You have absorbed too much chi from Vishuda, allowing the darkness in your heart to take control. And as a result, you've brought suffering and destruction not just to this village, but to this dojo as well!"

"It is because you forced me to!" Arakan countered, making a fist. "You knew perfectly well I was worthy, and yet you chose your son instead of me! In order to prove my worthiness, I had to go into the forbidden cave and challenge the darkness head on!"

"And look what it did to you, Arakan. The chi you absorbed turned you into a creature based on the dark desires of your heart!" Zandaka said.

Gathering energy into his fist, Arakan said, "I think I've had enough of you, old man. Once I'm through with you, your students will be-!"

WHOOSH!

Arakan was hit in the back with a blast of dragon energy, causing him to turn around and see Gekiryushi and Kataru.

"Sensei Ikiagi!" Gekiryushi cried out.

"So the master's little students have returned," Arakan said, his face turned into a sadistic grin. Turning his head slightly to Zandaka, he added, "Perhaps I'll let you live a little longer. So you can see your beloved students get destroyed!" Immediately, the aura of a blood red dragon appeared above him, roaring at them.

"You bastard!" Kataru cried out, releasing a blast of draconic energy at Arakan and pushing him slowly back. Unfortunately for Kataru, Arakan was resisting the draconic energy being unleashed on him.

Knowing what must be done, Kataru turned to Gekiryushi. "Go get my father out of here. I'll hold him off."

"But what about you?"

Kataru smiled. "I'll be fine. Now go!" Immediately, green and light blue chi formed around his fists as he charged forward at Arakan and hit him in the gut, sending him flying through the dojo's walls. He then followed after him.

Gekiryushi, meanwhile, headed to where Zandaka was and put his arm around her shoulder to hoist him up.

"Sensei? Can you hear me?" Gekiryushi asked. She only got a murmur in response, which confirmed that he was alive.

By the time the two of them made it outside of the dragon chamber and to the main floor, a massive explosion behind them ended up sending her and Zandaka flying to the outskirts of the dojo.

"NO!" Gekiryushi cried out, upon looking at what she was seeing. The dojo was completely desecrated in flames!

When Zandaka opened his eyes, a look of shock was registered on his face upon seeing his home get licked by the developing fire. He slowly got up. "This can't be..." he muttered, still in denial at what he was seeing.

"Oh, but it is, old man."

Both Gekiryushi and Zandaka jerked their heads upward upon hearing Arakan's voice. Unfortunately, their eyes widened once they saw what he was carrying in his left hand.

"Your son put up an admirable fight, old man." Arakan said, as he threw Kataru's grievously dead body toward Gekiryushi and Zandaka, who were both shocked at seeing what he did to him. "If you're wondering, he's already dead. And with him out of the way, I am the one who's worthy!"

Gekiryushi got up, anger on her face. Arakan, someone she once called her friend, destroyed everything that was important to her. Her home, and someone she considered her younger brother.

Chi forming around her fists, she shouted, "You will pay for this!" and charged at Arakan, hellbent on ending him. Unluckily for her, Arakan blocked her punches and grabbed her by the throat.

"Your impulsiveness was always your undoing." Arakan said, tossing her behind him with superhuman strength as Zandaka looked with utter horror. As a result, Gekiryushi was sent hurling through the remains of the dojo and down the cliff to the cavern below.

When she regained her senses, she realized that her right hand was on fire! Screaming in pain, she crawled to the lake of chi with what little strength left and dunked her hand in the lake of chi to try and alleviate the pain. Seeing that it worked, Gekiryushi flipped on her back, tired from the ordeal she'd been through. _I'm sorry Sensei_, she thought, as she fell unconscious, _but I failed you and Kataru._

_Hours later..._

When Gekiryushi opened her eyes, she found herself inside a house, laying on top of a bed. Looking to her right, she noticed that her right hand was wrapped in a bandage. "Where am I?"

"Why, you're in the village elder's home, my dear," an old woman said. Gekiryushi turned to the voice and recognized the town elder, who wore yellow robes, had white hair tied in a bun, and had wrinkles on her face. "Thank Sahasrara you're awake. Any longer and you would have died for sure." She then offered Gekiryushi a cup of tea, who eagerly accepted it.

"Thank you," Gekiryushi said to the elder, taking a sip of it. "Elder, I know of what happened to Kataru, but what happened to Sensei Ikiagi? Is he-?" She couldn't finish the sentence, lest she jinx the fate of her sensei.

The elder woman's face looked downcast. "Some men in the village searched through the wreckage of the dojo and beyond to try and find him. Until we find something, we can only assume that he's dead. I'm so sorry."

The news was so overwhelming that Gekiryushi would have broken down completely had the older woman not put her arms around her for comfort. She then began to cry; cry for everything she lost that night until she couldn't cry any longer.

_Flashback End: Present Day... _

"Why do you have a Link Monster that resembles Arakan?" SengokuQueen demanded, narrowing her eyes in pure rage at Berserker of the Tenyi. "You of all people should know that he was responsible for destroying everything important to the both of us!"

"I am aware, Gekiryushi." Dancho calmly replied. "My Tenyi deck has Link Monsters that resemble not just you, but my son and Arakan as well. I did this so that I won't lose them ever again."

"It makes sense now!" Raguel realized. _Dancho's Link Monsters resemble people he cared about_, he thought. _Based on what he told SengokuQueen, at some point in his life, she and a few others were important parts of Dancho's life before it all fell apart_.

"What does?" Herald asked.

"Dancho's deck." Raguel clarified. "When I last dueled him, he was extremely angry when I wounded his Link Monsters. I understand why he was so upset. It's because he cared for them deeply."

"I didn't know that, Raguel," was all Herald said back. He was surprised to hear that there was someone else who cared about their duel monsters, even if they were a member of the Hanoi. Could this mean-?

"Will you continue your turn, Gekiryushi?" Dancho asked her.

"Of course I am!" SengokuQueen replied. Gesturing to her field, she added, "Level 2 Kagemusha of the Six Samurai tunes Level 3 Elder of the Six Samurai!" A bolt of crimson lightning struck her as the world greyed out and her two monsters disappeared into particles. Two rings, one brown and one green, appeared before turning blue and merging. Five blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "2 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to "5" as light surged through the rings.

"The legendary samurai brings fear and death to all his enemies!" SengokuQueen chanted. "Soon, your death shall strengthen his power! Synchro Summon! Emerge from the battlefield, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" A samurai with light crimson armor and golden lines covering his entire body emerged from the light and onto the right Extra Monster Zone. This samurai had medium-sized wings with golden lines on his back. On each of his shoulders was a curved spike. His helmet had the Bushido symbol on the top, with the samurai mask having a golden outline. His eyes glowed red as he swung his katana, ready for battle.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 DEF: 1400 LVL: 5**

"I activate the Spell Card, Advance! This card lets me Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type monster from my hand! Appear, Spirit of the Six Samurai!" A blue, humanoid spirit wearing a purple samurai helmet and samurai armor with orange outlines appeared on SengokuQueen's field.

**Spirit of the Six Samurai ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 3**

"The effect of Spirit of the Six Samurai activates!" SengokuQueen continued. "I can target one face-up 'Six Samurai' monster and equip it with this card. By doing so, the targeted monster gains 500 attack and defense points! I target Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" Spirit of the Six Samurai soon disappeared, and it's aura then surrounded Shi En, powering the legendary samurai up.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000 DEF: 1400 + 500 = 1900**

"Last, but not least, I activate Great Shogun Shien's effect from my hand! If I control two 'Six Samurai' monsters, I can Special Summon this card to my field!" A samurai with blood-red crimson armor with a long, magenta cape on his back joined SengokuQueen's field. His eyes glowed red, as he swung his katana, ready for battle.

**Great Shogun Shien ATK: 2500 DEF: 2400 LV: 7**

_With Great Shogun Shien and Shi En on my field_, SengokuQueen thought, _I have blocked him from using Spell and Trap cards_. Thrusting her right hand out, she shouted, "Battle! Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En attacks Berserker of the Tenyi! Crimson Slash of Death!" Shi En charged forward, ready to slash Berserker of the Tenyi in two. "I activate Shi En's second effect! If it would be destroyed, then I can destroy another 'Six Samurai' monster I control instead! For it's effect, I destroy Yaichi!" Yaichi turned into yellow particles at SengokuQueen's command. Shi En avoided Berserker of the Tenyi's punches and kicks before stabbing the human-ogre hybrid, destroying him.

"I activate Spirit of the Six Samurai's effect!" SengokuQueen quickly added. "Since the equipped monster destroyed a monster by battle, I can draw one card from the top of my deck!" Using Spirit of the Six Samurai's effect, she drew Shien's advisor from the top of her deck.

"I activate Tenyi Spirit – Shthana's effect!" Dancho said. "Since a non-effect monster was destroyed by battle or card effect, I can banish this card to Special Summon that monster back, and if I do, I can destroy one monster you control! Return, Berserker of the Tenyi!" At Dancho's command, Berserker of the Tenyi emerged from an icy field and returned to his field in the middle Main Monster Zone, roaring once again at SengokuQueen.

**Berserker of the Tenyi ATK: 3000 LINK-3 **⬆️↗️↘️

"And now I destroy your Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En! Go, Icicle Crash!" Berserker of the Tenyi punched his right hand forward, releasing a misty light-blue serpentine dragon straight at Shi En!

"Spirit of the Six Samurai's second effect!" SengokuQueen interjected. "If I destroy this card, I can protect my monster from destruction!" The blue aura surrounding Shi En disappeared and retook it's original form, protecting it's master from destruction. "However, since this card is now in my Graveyard, it loses it's attack and defense boost."

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 3000 – 500 = 2500 DEF: 1900 – 500 = 1400**

"The battle still continues!" she declared. "Great Shogun Shien attacks Monk of the Tenyi!" Great Shogun Shien charged forward and slashed Monk of the Tenyi, destroying him and causing an explosion, which temporarily unbalanced Dancho as his life points dropped.

**Dancho: 4000 – 1500 = 2500 LP**

"And here I thought you cared for Kataru." Dancho said. "Yet you were willing to strike him down to defeat me."

"Shut up!" SengokuQueen said back. "I did it because I had no choice."

"No choice?" Dancho repeated. "No choice?! You had the choice to end your turn and spare the monster that represented him, but you didn't. All because you were blinded by rage."

"What would _you_ know about rage?" SengokuQueen shouted. "I thought you were dead, and when I learned you were with the Hanoi, I felt like I lost a father figure! Someone I could trust and lean on for strength!"

"Wow, those two have a lot to work out." Herald said, closely paying attention to their conversation.

"Yeah." Raguel agreed with Herald. _SengokuQueen_, he thought. _No wonder you wanted to bring the criminally evil to justice. Whatever happened between the you and Dancho must have motivated you to take it out on anyone you deemed evil._ In that moment, he actually felt sorry for her.

"I end my turn," SengokuQueen concluded. _And with Shien's advisor_, she thought, remembering the card she drew thanks to Spirit of the Six Samurai, _I'll be able to lock him down completely. That is the true Bushido combo_!

"My turn! I draw!" Dancho declared, drawing the top card of his deck. Gesturing to Berserker of the Tenyi, he roared, "Battle! Berserker of the Tenyi attacks Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En! At this point, I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Nahata from my Graveyard! Since an attack is declared involving my 'Tenyi' monster and your monster, I can banish this card from my Graveyard, and if I do, your monster loses 1500 attack points!" Berserker of the Tenyi punched his right hand forward, only this time, he released a misty green serpentine dragon that went straight through Shi En's chest, creating a hole where his stomach should have been.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 – 1500 = 1000**

"Darkness Mixer!" Berserker of the Tenyi teleported right in front of Shi En, surprising the weakened samurai before brutally punching and kicking the samurai to the point of death, causing an explosion that pushed SengokuQueen back.

**SengokuQueen: 4000 – 2000 = 2000 LP**

"I activate Shi En's effect!" SengokuQueen said. "If it would be destroyed, then I can destroy another 'Six Samurai' monster I control instead! For it's effect, I destroy Great Shogun Shien!" Great Shogun Shien shoved Shi En out of the way and took the remainder of Berserker of the Tenyi's attacks, vanishing into yellow particles.

"Foolish girl." Dancho said. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell card from my hand, Revenge Attack! Since my monster did not destroy yours in battle this turn, Berserker of the Tenyi not only gains 1000 attack points, it can also attack again!"

"I activate Shi En's effect!" SengokuQueen said in response. "Once per turn, during either of our turns, when you activate a Spell or Trap card, I can negate and-!"

"You won't be negating ANYTHING!" Dancho suddenly said, a malicious grin on his face. "I activate the effect of Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit from my hand! Since a monster on your field activated it's effect, I can send this card from my hand or field to the Graveyard to destroy it!"

"Oh no!" SengokuQueen cried out, realizing that her last attempt to outplay Dancho had failed.

"But without Shi En..." Herald began.

"SengokuQueen's done for." Raguel finished for him.

Soon, a little girl with long, blond hair briefly appeared on Dancho's field. The girl wore brown robes and had a small katana on her back. A ghostly rabbit was with her as well. Seeing Shi En, the girl took out her small katana, and, in the blink of an eye, slashed him, turning him into yellow particles.

With Shi En out of the way, a blood-red aura enveloped Berserker of the Tenyi, increasing his strength.

**Berserker of the Tenyi ATK: 3000 + 1000 = 4000**

"If I can teach you one last thing," Dancho said, "it's this: Life isn't as black and white as you believe. You can't just look down on others by refusing to see their perspective. Otherwise, you're no better than the people you judge as evil!"

Having made sure his message hit home, he added, "The battle continues! Berserker of the Tenyi attacks you directly! Darkness Mixer!" Berserker of the Tenyi teleported right in front of her, before brutally beating her with a series of punches and kicks, causing her remaining life points to hit zero.

**SengokuQueen: 2000 – 4000 = 0**

"SengokuQueen!" Raguel yelled.

Berserker of the Tenyi then charged blood-red chi into his fist before hitting her in the stomach, knocking her off her duel board. For a moment, as she was falling, Raguel could swore he saw her soul leave her body.

_I'm sorry, Kataru_, were SengokuQueen's last thoughts before darkness overtook her, _but I failed to save him_.

**Card Gallery**

_No new cards in this chapter._

**QOTC**

_What did you think of Rachel and Gekiryushi's backstories?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 18: Dancho's Darkness. Determined to save SengokuQueen, Raguel and Herald accept Dancho's challenge head on! However, having upgraded his deck since their last duel, he is able to push Raguel back more mercilessly than ever. Can Raguel find a way to fight back and appeal to what remaining good Dancho has left?_

**Responses to reviews and Author's Notes**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Anonymous, Guest, Noobmaster, yuman28, Unnamed, Team Rocket, Zeromk7, Electriuser, E.T. 2000, Ambiguous, Unknown, Ambiguous, Portal, Guest, and Hyper5000 for reviewing Chapter 16 of Obscured Truth.

I'm alive, everyone! And sorry for a late update! I planned to release this chapter a week earlier, but an announced last minute final exam forced me to push this chapter back so I could prepare. Also, I hope that you're all safe from COVID-19. Anyhow, let's recap what happened in this chapter.

One of the main things that happened was Yuhiro and Rachel hanging out once again. The two of them first head to Uchida Industries, which, for this story, is the rival of SOL Technologies. There, they meet Emon Uchida, the founder of said company. We also learn something else about Yuhiro: While he can be impulsive at times, he does think long-term, especially when he talks to Emon about how the Dascium Metal can impact society.

From there, the two of them start heading to an amusement park, only for Yuhiro to look at an utterly destroyed house. It is there where Yuhiro and Rachel tell each other some deep information about each other that they wouldn't tell anyone else. In Yuhiro's case, it's about his parents. One night before the Lost Incident, his parents were brutally murdered. To get away, the murderers destroyed the house, scarring Yuhiro and preventing him from remembering anything good or bad about his parents.

As for Rachel, this is where her backstory comes in: Six years ago, when she was five years old, her parents owned a small business, but unfortunately, because they couldn't make enough money to keep it running, they had to close. As a result, they had to move from shelter to shelter to avoid being homeless. Eventually, her parents left Rachel at an old family friend she thought she could trust. Unfortunately for her, said family friend ended up subjecting her to experiments in order to create the next 'super-genius', as she claimed. And if she didn't perform well, then it would result in her getting abused (yes, I said abused). This kept up for an entire year, until Greg led an FBI raid to shut the operation down. Shortly afterwards, he adopted her.

I created this story for Rachel so she and Yuhiro can have something in common, which is going through pain at a young age. This shows another side of Yuhiro: He can be really caring.

The second part of the story occurs in LINK VRAINS, when Naoki Shima obtains Cyberse Wizard, resulting in him being corned by Faust and Dancho. Luckily for him, Playmaker and Raguel appear to rescue him. Just before Raguel duels Dancho, however, SengokuQueen appears out of nowhere and locks Dancho into dueling her, enraged that he is in league with the Hanoi. During their duel, Dancho Special Summons Berserker of the Tenyi, terrifying her. The reason why is because of her backstory. Eleven years ago, a student of Dancho's named Arakan (who absorbed too much chi of Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda), attacked the village, hellbent on acquiring the power of Sahasrara for himself. Gekiryushi and Dancho's son, Kataru, evacuated the village while Dancho, who went by Zandaka Ikiagi, confronted Arakan to stop him.

Sadly, this led to the Shinpi-Tekina dojo getting destroyed, as well as Kataru's death at Arakan's hands. Gekiryushi tried to avenge his death, but Arakan managed to knock her through the burned dojo and to the cliff behind it, resulting in her right hand acquiring a burn scar in the process.

For Gekiryushi's flashback, I took inspiration from the first _Kung Fu Panda_ movie, where Tai Lung attempted to take the Dragon Scroll by force.

As revealed in this chapter, each of Dancho's Link Monsters resemble people, good and bad, that were important in his life. Let me know what your thoughts are on this.

Okay, with that chapter recap out of the way, I can answer some reviews:

HunterHQ: Yes, Infearno's wife would be horrified at what he had become. And great observation on what Baira said in the dub. Sadly, when Herald mentioned Yugi, it is an alternate version (otherwise, I would have had to explain how Watchman got his Cubic monsters). To answer your question: Kazuma survived because he had an escape program.

Anonymous: I hope you liked Rachel's backstory.

Guest: I can't tell you, but I can tell you that Yuhiro and Infearno's connection goes deeper than them simply fighting for people they love.

Noobmaster: Good tip. Will take that into account. And yes, Windy is not just a motor mouth, but he sounds like an auctioneer too!

Yuman28: No. Lord Kazuma is the Hanoi's Secretary, actually.

Unnamed: Thank you for your patience.

Team Rocket: First off, thank you very much. Second, thanks for pointing out the error. I will correct it immediately.

ZeroMK7: I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Electriuser: Do not worry. Lord Kazuma is alive and well. Rather, he used an escape program after his duel to return to the real world.

E.T. 2000: The fate of Infearno's wife will be revealed later. Also, Monty will come back. As for Playmaker and Raguel's duel, I'm not 100% sure yet.

Ambiguous: In the history of Yu-Gi-Oh, there has always been dirty tricks being used against the protagonists. Especially in VRAINS.

Unknown: While an alternate version of Yugi is shown in this story, as evidenced by Progleo, there are sentient creatures. If you want the answer to your question, then I highly encourage you to keep on reading.

Ambiguous: Yes. I do plan on a Team-Up duel.

Portal: I did not know that Kazuma is similar to Berlin from Money Heist. Will need to check it out.

Guest: I didn't know of this. Do tell me more.

Hyper5000: Glad you liked the chapter.

Let me know what you thought of this chapter, including your opinions, tips, theories, etc. If you know anyone who would like this story, then spread the word. Before I go, I have something to announce. While I'm working for the summer, I should be able to release chapters at a more frequent rate. This means that, unless an announcement is made, I will be able to release a new chapter every 1-2 weeks.

Also, I wanted to let you know that I gave a name for Dr. Genome in the real world, as well as a last name for Faust. Please let me know your thoughts on this.

What did you think of this chapter? Do you think there's an ulter motive behind the experiments Rachel went through? And who do you think Emon Uchida is?

All these will be answered in due time. Stay tuned, as next chapter, Raguel and Dancho will have their rematch!


	18. Chapter 18: Dancho's Darkness

**Chapter 18: Dancho's Darkness**

_In LINK VRAINS…_

"The battle continues!" Dancho said. "Berserker of the Tenyi attacks you directly! Darkness Mixer!" Berserker of the Tenyi teleported right in front of SengokuQueen, before brutally beating her with a series of punches and kicks, causing her remaining life points to drop to zero.

**SengokuQueen: 2000 – 4000 = 0**

"SengokuQueen!" Raguel yelled.

Berserker of the Tenyi then charged blood-red chi into his fist before hitting her in the stomach, knocking her off her duel board. For a moment, as she was falling, Raguel could swore he saw her soul leave her body.

_I'm sorry, Kataru_, were SengokuQueen's last thoughts before darkness overtook her, _but I failed to save him_.

But before she hit the ground, her body landed on what looked like a green, mystical hand.

"I got her, Raguel," a voice said, causing Raguel to turn his head to his right at the voice. Upon seeing Stregone and Go, he was relieved.

"Didn't realize you two were still in LINK VRAINS." Raguel said, as Stregone lifted SengokuQueen's body using green, mystical energy.

"We were getting rid of any remaining Knights of Hanoi in the network." Go explained, as he and Stregone landed on the top of a nearby building with SengokuQueen's body.

"But it turns out there are still a few loose ends that need to be taken care of," Stregone added. Turning to the unconscious SengokuQueen, he shook her. "Hey, you alright? Wake up!"

"That is futile."

Stregone and Go turned around as Dancho landed lightly on the edge of the rooftop. "Our duel resulted in her becoming an 'Another'."

"An 'Another'?" Go repeated. He growled as he looked at Dancho. "Why would you do that? Answer me!"

"A buffoon like you could never understand!" Dancho said back, narrowing his eyes. "I've seen what you did to Dr. Genome. And for that, you will surely pay!"

"If you want to duel me you old geezer, then-!" But before Go could finish his sentence, Raguel jumped onto the edge of the rooftop and placed his sword at Dancho's throat, getting his attention.

"You're not hurting anyone else. Not after what you did to your pupil," Raguel stated, surprising both Stregone and Go upon hearing this new information.

"I can't believe it…." Go muttered.

"This guy was once SengokuQueen's duel teacher? How disgusting." Stregone added.

"And how are you going to stop me?" Dancho laughed, pushing the sword away from his throat. "You clearly saw how much stronger I've become, Raguel. Especially when I delivered the final blow."

"In our previous duel, I saw how much you cared about your Link Monsters." Raguel stated. "I don't know what happened to you, but no one has the right to use the memories of loved ones to hurt others, especially you, _Zandaka Ikiagi_!"

"You originally wanted to duel us before SengokuQueen intervened, remember?" Herald reminded him. "So, if you want to settle the score with Raguel and I, then let's do it right here and now!"

Dancho thought about it for a minute. "Fine. Should you defeat me Raguel, I will provide you with the method to bring back Gekiryushi. But if you lose, you'll be required to surrender your Ignis to the Hanoi. Understand?"

"Very well. I accept your terms." Raguel replied, pleasing Dancho.

Go growled to himself. He couldn't help Raguel with this. The most he could do was stay with Stregone and keep an eye on SengokuQueen to make sure nothing happened to her.

Turning to Stregone and Go, Dancho said, "As for the two of you…." He then snapped his fingers, causing several Knights of Hanoi to surround them. "I can't let either of you interfere with our duel, so I've given you some friends to play with."

"Didn't see this coming." Stregone said, as he and Go stood back to back against the sudden appearance of the Knights.

"Follow me once you're ready." Dancho said to Raguel, as he jumped on his duel board and sped off through the open air between the buildings.

"Go! Stregone!" Raguel said to them, getting their attention. "Protect SengokuQueen's body. I'll defeat Dancho and win!"

Stregone nodded. He and Raguel understood each other. "Alright. We'll keep her safe."

"Kick that old geezer's ass to next week!" Go added, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Got it." Raguel then jumped onto his duel board and sped off after Dancho.

"Well, Go," Stregone said, "looks like we got ourselves a little party. Shall we give our guests here a show?" Arcanite Magician appeared behind him, ready for battle.

"Of course!" Go answered, as Gouki the Great Ogre appeared behind him. "Let's show these Knights a fun time!"

Raguel, meanwhile, caught up with Dancho, intent on dueling him.

"Are you sure you can win this duel, Yuhiro?" Roxy asked him over his earpiece. "He's gotten far stronger than the last time the two of you duked it out."

"I'm sure, Roxy." Raguel responded. "No matter how strong Dancho is now, I need to win this duel. To save SengokuQueen." He looked ahead of him as Dancho looked back.

"So, you've arrived at last." Dancho said. "I will give you one chance. Surrender your Ignis, and I will spare both you and Gekiryushi. But if you continue to resist, then you will have to share her fate."

"I refuse." Raguel immediately responded. "For three reasons. One: After what you've done, I can't just stand by and ignore it. I will fight to save SengokuQueen. Two: As I said before, deep down, you still care about the memory of your loved ones. That is why you have Link Monsters resembling them. I will therefore also fight to help you find what good remains in your blackened heart. Three: You may have gotten stronger, but I won't let you harm anyone else in LINK VRAINS!"

"Very well, then. So be it." Dancho said with resignation.

"Speed Duel!" both Raguel and Dancho said at the same time.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Dancho: 4000 LP**

"I think I will go first." Dancho said.

"Oh no!" Herald replied. "We saw what your strategy was. You're not one-upping us, got it!"

Dancho looked ahead and saw a skyscraper with a LINK VRAINS flag. He soon got an idea. "How about this? You see that building up ahead with that flag? Whoever makes a right turn at that building can decide whether to go first or second. Does that sound fair to you?"

"Alright. Let's do it!" Raguel replied, speeding up his duel board to reach the building. Dancho did the same. After Raguel got ahead of him, Dancho surprised him by jumping off his duel board and landing on a building close to the building with the flag. He then performed a wall run before wall jumping off it, landing on his duel board and making the turn first.

"WHAT?" Herald said, his eyes widening in shock. "I can't believe he…"

"Did that." Raguel finished for him, also in shock at what Dancho did, as he made the turn, catching up to the older Hanoi member.

"As I made the turn first, I think I shall make the first move." Dancho said, looking at his hand. _Interesting_, he thought. "I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Nahata from my hand! Since I control no effect monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A misty green serpentine dragon appeared on Dancho's field and roared at Raguel.

**Tenyi Spirt – Nahata ATK: 800 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"Now, appear! The circuit of mystical chi!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of Dancho. "The summoning conditions are one non-Link 'Tenyi' monster! I'll set Tenyi Spirit – Nahata in the Link Markers!" Nahata went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Join your master! Link 1! Monk of the Tenyi!" A young teenage male, wearing what looked like to be a brown Gi with a dragon symbol on it and a red belt, appeared on the field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Monk of the Tenyi ATK: 1000 LINK-1 ****️**

"I Set one card. Then I activate the Spell card, Vessel for the Dragon Cycle! I can send a Wyrm monster from my deck to my Graveyard. In addition, should I control a face-up non-effect monster, I can add a 'Tenyi' monster from my deck to my hand, as long as it has a different name!" Using Vessel for the Dragon Cycle's effects, Dancho sent Tenyi Spirit – Mapura from his deck to his Graveyard, and then added Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda from his deck to his hand.

"That ends my turn," he concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel declared, drawing the top card of his deck.

"Judging from his last duel," Herald recalled, "his 'Tenyi' deck is about non-effect monsters, and how they collaborate with monsters in his Graveyard."

"That's pretty much how his deck works." Raguel replied. _And I almost got screwed over because of it in our last duel_, he thought.

"We must beware of three cards in this duel." Herald added. "One: Berserker of the Tenyi. With 3000 attack points, as a Link 3 monster, it can be deadly if not dealt with immediately. Two: Fists of the Unrivaled Tenyi. If we accidentally destroy it with a card effect on our turn, he can Special Summon it and catch us off guard. Three: Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit. That hand trap can be used during either of our turns, so we must be careful."

"I know." Raguel said. "Which is why all my moves will be strategic instead of impulsive." _Also, I don't want to harm the Link Monsters he cares about_, he thought. _That's why I'll strike precisely instead of wildly_.

"Here I go, Dancho! Since you control a monster and I control no monsters, I can Special Summon Cyreath Satyr from my hand!" A creature with the upper body of a man and the horns and legs of a goat appeared on Raguel's field. The creature had bronze pieces of armor on its head, arms, and legs, as well as long claws on its hands.

**Cyreath Satyr ATK: 2300 DEF: 1400 LV: 5**

"Not smart!" Dancho suddenly said. "Because you Special Summoned a monster, I can activate my face-down Quick-Play Spell card, Demise of the Land! This card lets me take one Field Spell card from my deck and activate it!"

"He can activate a Field Spell card during our turn?" Herald said, as a card popped out of Dancho's deck.

"That's correct, my little friend." Dancho answered. "I activate my Field Spell card, Flawless Perfection of the Tenyi! Now all non-effect monsters I control are unaffected by monster effects!"

"Seriously?" Raguel said. Regaining focus, he continued his turn. "I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Treasure! This card allows me to draw 2 cards, in exchange for discarding 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand!" Raguel discarded Cyreath Wandering Soul from his hand and drew two cards.

"I'll then activate the effect of Cyreath Wandering Soul in my Graveyard!" Raguel said, thrusting out his right hand. "By banishing it, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Soon, a Link Portal appeared in front of Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set the Cyreath Wanderer token and Cyreath Satyr in the Link Markers!" Satyr went into the bottom arrowhead, while the Wanderer token went into the right arrowhead, turning both of them red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Minotaur!" A creature with the head and tail of a bull, as well as the body of a man, appeared on Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. He wore a fauld around his waist, and on each of his wrists was some armor. Minotaur swung his axe at Dancho, ready for battle.

**Cyreath Minotaur ATK: 1800 LINK-2** ➡️⬇️

"My Field Spell's effect activates!" Dancho said. "Once per turn, if you Special Summon an effect monster while I control a face-down or non-effect monster, I get to draw two cards from my deck!" Immediately, Dancho proceeded to draw the top two cards of his deck.

"I activate the Equip Spell card, Boots of Hermes!" Raguel said in response. "A monster equipped with this card can attack directly, but all battle damage inflicted is halved. Also, while equipped, it can't be targeted by card effects once per turn." Dancho grit his teeth upon hearing that.

Immediately, a pair of boots with wings on them appeared, which Minotaur grabbed and put on. Unfortunately for him, he had to stretch them to put them on, thus making his big feet look uncomfortable.

"I Set two cards face-down." Raguel said. "Battle! With the Boots of Hermes, Cyreath Minotaur attacks you directly, Dancho!" Using the Boots of Hermes to fly, which took more strength than usual, Minotaur flew over Monk of the Tenyi and slashed Dancho using his axe, decreasing his life points.

**Dancho: 4000 – (1800 / 2) = 3100 LP**

"Ah. I see now." Dancho said, chuckling. "You intend on winning the duel without bringing harm to my Link Monsters."

Raguel's eyes widened. "How did you-?"

"In our previous duel, you used a similar technique, when you used Cyreath Hercules to deliver the final blow without harming my son, yes?" Dancho asked him. Raguel was silent, as he couldn't respond. "I will take your silence as a yes, then. While that is an interesting strategy," Dancho said, before narrowing his eyes at Raguel, "it won't help you win!"

"We'll see whether it works or not." Raguel replied. "The effect of Minotaur activates! As it inflicted battle damage, I can draw one card from the top of my deck!" Using Minotaur's effect, Raguel drew a card from the top of his deck.

Knowing there was nothing more he could do for now, he said, "I end my turn."

"Yuhiro, do you believe you can win without harming Dancho's Link Monsters?" Roxy asked him through his earpiece. "I understand if it's your choice, but-."

"I have to try, Roxy." Raguel answered firmly. "I'm not simply giving up on him. Not after what I learned."

"Alright. Then I'm with you all the way." Roxy affirmed, as she looked at the monitors. She understood what Raguel was going to do. _Good luck, Yuhiro. And be careful_, she thought, as she watched the duel resumed in LINK VRAINS.

"My turn! I draw!" Dancho said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda from my hand! Since I control no effect monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A blood red misty serpentine dragon appeared on Dancho's field and roared at Raguel.

**Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda ATK: 1500 DEF: 2500 LV: 7**

"Appear, once again! The circuit of mystical chi!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of Dancho. "The summoning conditions are two Wyrm monsters! I'll set Monk of the Tenyi, which is a Link 1 monster, and Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda in the Link Markers!" Monk of the Tenyi went into the bottom-left arrowhead, while Vishuda went into the bottom-right arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Grace the field with your presence! Link 2! Shaman of the Tenyi!" A young woman, wearing magenta colored robes and high heels, appeared on the field in the right Extra Monster Zone. She had long-purple hair, and in each of her hands was a sharp fan.

**Shaman of the Tenyi ATK: 1600 LINK-2 **↙️↘️

"It appears that monster represents SengokuQueen, Raguel." Herald said, looking at Shaman of the Tenyi.

"Before she became a bounty hunter." Raguel realized.

"I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Shthana from my hand!" Dancho continued. "Once again, as I control no effect monsters, I can Special Summon this monster from my hand to my field!" This time, a misty light-blue serpentine dragon joined Dancho's field and roared at Raguel.

**Tenyi Spirit – Shthana ATK: 400 DEF: 2000 LV: 4**

"Appear, for a second time! The circuit of mystical chi!" A second Link Portal appeared ahead of Dancho. "The summoning conditions are two or more monsters, including a Link Monster! I'll set Shaman of the Tenyi, which is a Link 2 monster, and Tenyi Spirit – Shthana in the Link Markers!" Shaman of the Tenyi went into the top and upper-right arrowhead, while Shthana went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"It's coming!" Herald said.

"Shit!" Raguel cursed under his breath. _Dancho Link climbed to his strongest monster already_, he thought. Now that he brought it out, it would only get harder for him.

"Circuit combine!" Dancho chanted. "Link Summon! The fallen student shall raze everything in his path to obtain the ultimate power! Link 3! Berserker of the Tenyi!" A muscular, shirtless, humanly looking ogre wearing pants with dragon symbols emerged from the Link Portal and appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone. The ogre had granite like skin on his hands and shoulders, which gave him a corrupted appearance. He had long billy goat horns on his head, and long, bushy blue hair that went down to the back of his waist. Upon looking at Raguel, Berserker of the Tenyi roared at him.

**Berserker of the Tenyi ATK: 3000 LINK-3 **⬆️↗️↘️

"I Set two cards face-down." Dancho said. Thrusting out his right hand, he declared, "Battle! Berserker of the Tenyi attacks Cyreath Minotaur! At this point, I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirt – Nahata from my Graveyard! Since an attack is declared involving my 'Tenyi' monster and your monster, I can banish this card from my Graveyard, and if I do, your monster loses 1500 attack points!" Berserker of the Tenyi punched his right hand forward, releasing Nahata, which went straight through Minotaur's chest, creating a hole where his stomach should have been.

**Cyreath Minotaur ATK: 1800 – 1500 = 300**

"Darkness Mixer!" Berserker of the Tenyi teleported right in front of Minotaur, surprising the weakened creature, but before he could deliver his barrage of punches and kicks…

"I activate my Trap card, Cyreath Counter-Shuffle!" Raguel interjected. "Since you declared an attack with a Link Monster, I can negate the attack, and then return that monster right back to your Extra Deck!"

"I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda from my Graveyard!" Dancho said in response. "Since you activated a card effect while I control a non-effect monster, I can banish this card from my Graveyard, and by doing this, I can negate the activation of that card and return it to your hand! I therefore negate and return Cyreath Counter-Shuffle to your hand!"

"Crap!" Raguel said, as Berserker of the Tenyi gathered blood-red chi into his fist and fired it, releasing Vishuda, which turned the card into yellow particles upon impact, returning it to Raguel's hand.

"Resume your attack, Berserker of the Tenyi!" Dancho commanded Berserker of the Tenyi, who obeyed by brutally pummeling Minotaur with a barrage of punches and kicks, destroying him. The attack also caused an explosion that pushed Raguel back.

**Raguel: 4000 – 2700 = 1300 LP**

"Damn it!" Raguel muttered, caught off guard by how Dancho responded to his Cyreath Counter-Shuffle.

"Yuhiro, are you okay?" Roxy asked him, checking on his well-being.

"I'm fine, Roxy." Raguel responded. "But in terms of life points, we're behind."

"On the bright side, Roxy," Herald said, "we got our Trap card back."

"Do you realize the folly in your strategy, Raguel?" Dancho asked him, getting his attention. "In order for you to defeat me, you must be willing to cast aside your beliefs and fight as though your life is on the line! Even if that means walking down the path of darkness!"

"I won't!" Raguel shouted. "Dancho, the Link Monsters you have represent important people that you still care about deep down, such as your son and SengokuQueen. I will not fall to your level by destroying something precious such as those who represent loved ones!"

"A brave declaration, but a futile one, Raguel." Dancho lamented. "No matter what you do, one day, you will fail, and turn into a shadow of your former self. I'll give you an example. My Berserker of the Tenyi represents one of my students named Arakan. He thought he could challenge the darkness head on to become worthy of Sahasrara's power, but he failed. As a result, he turned into a creature that represented the dark desires of his heart. As I learned on that day, no one can escape the inevitability of failure. And on my next turn, I'll drive that point home by defeating you!"

"You seem so confident that you'll end this duel on your next turn." Raguel said. "So why don't you tell me what caused you to fall from the righteous path you once walked as a sensei of the Shinpi-Tekina dojo."

Dancho sighed. "Very well. Considering how I'll defeat you next turn, I will tell you what happened."

_Flashback: Eleven years ago…_

"_A long time ago, at the Shinpi-Tekina dojo, I trained several students in the way of duel monsters. Of my students, three of them were at the top, and two of them had the potential to obtain the power of Sahasrara."_

Arakan exited from the destroyed remains of the dojo, dragging the body of Kataru with his left hand, as he went to confront Gekiryushi and Zandaka.

"_One of them, Arakan, sought the power of Sahasrara. But all I saw in his heart was darkness. Upon being denied, he left for the forbidden caverns of Vishuda, in the hopes of overcoming it to prove himself. Unfortunately, he succumbed, and attacked the village in order to take the power of Sahasrara by force."_

He overheard Gekiryushi cry out upon seeing the destroyed dojo. He also overheard his former master, Zandaka, mutter words as he tried to make sense of what was happening. Arakan knew that, to obtain Sahasrara's power, he had to eliminate everyone who stood in his way. So, to do that, he revealed himself to them.

"Oh, but it is, old man," he said.

Both Gekiryushi and Zandaka jerked their heads upward upon hearing Arakan's voice. Unfortunately, their eyes widened once they saw what he was carrying in his left hand.

"Your son put up an admirable fight, old man." Arakan stated, as he threw Kataru's grievously dead body toward Gekiryushi and Zandaka, who were both shocked at seeing what he did to him. "If you're wondering, he's already dead. And with him out of the way, I am the one who's worthy!"

"_Arakan was responsible for Kataru's death. And in my weakened state, there was nothing I could do to save Gekiryushi."_

Zandaka watched as Gekiryushi generated chi around her fists before charging at Arakan, hellbent on ending him. However, Arakan blocked her punches and grabbed her by the throat before tossing her behind him with superhuman strength.

Seeing what had happened, Zandaka forced himself to get up, now determined to stop Arakan's rampage before he caused anymore suffering to anyone.

"Time and time again," Zandaka said, as chi formed around his fists, "I had hoped you would be able to prevent yourself from being led astray by the darkness inside your heart. But now I see I was clearly wrong. Therefore, it falls to me to stop your rampage once and for all!"

"Do your worst, old man!" Arakan snarled back, as Vishuda appeared behind him and roared at Zandaka. And both men charged at each other, ready to fight each other.

"_Upon seeing what Arakan did to my prized pupils, I realized I could no longer save him. I had to stop him."_

Arakan threw several punches and kicks at Zandaka, who managed to dodge most of them before getting hit. Unfazed by the attacks, Zandaka then threw two punches before side kicking Arakan, pushing him back.

The corrupted student snarled at Zandaka as more of Vishuda's chi appeared around him. As it swirled around his fists, Arakan ran forward and punched Zandaka in the stomach, before grabbing his hand and spinning him around several times. Within moments, Arakan threw Zandaka right into the remains of the destroyed dojo, several pieces of charred wood falling onto his head.

"Look around you, Sensei!" Arakan said mockingly, raising his arms into the air as more of Vishuda's chi appeared around him. "This is the result of all that you accomplished. Two students dead, a dojo destroyed, and a successor who is truly worthy of Sahasrara's power. In the end, I succeeded, while YOU FAILED!"

Zandaka, upon hearing this, released loads of chi from his body as he stepped out of the wreckage. When Arakan looked at him, he was surprised at what he was seeing.

"I finally understand now. You have made your purpose clear… and I am left with no choice." Zandaka said, the chi of Shthana, Mapura, and Nahata appearing momentarily around him. "In order to avenge Gekiryushi and Kataru, you must exist no more!" The chi of Shthana, Nahata, and Mapura disappeared before being replaced by Vishuda, who roared at Arakan.

The two of them charged at each other once again, each one evading the others punches and kicks. Arakan fired several blasts of chi at Zandaka, who _grabbed_ the blasts and directed them right back at Arakan. Catching him off guard, Zandaka rushed at him with several blood red chi-powered strikes to the nerves, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Get up!" Zandaka demanded, picking Arakan up by the head and punching him in the face, pushing him back. "And fight me!"

For the first time, Arakan's eyes were widened in fear upon seeing Zandaka outmatch him.

"No more." Arakan pleaded, slowly getting up. His face was now filled with fear. The fact that he was going to die was registered on his face. "Please, spare me."

"I'm afraid the time for mercy is long-gone." Zandaka stated, blood-red chi forming around his fist. He then drove that fist right through Arakan's chest, causing him to breathe his last before falling to the ground, his rampage finally over.

Zandaka then looked all around him. The place he called home was destroyed, and his prized pupils were all gone. He then looked at his hands, which were soaked in Arakan's blood. The chi of Vishuda still continued to form around them.

"There's nothing left for me here." Zandaka lamented, as he started walking away from the destroyed dojo, from Arakan's body, and from his path as a grandmaster. As he headed for the mountain path and disappeared into the cold night, Zandaka Ikiagi was no more.

_Flashback End: Present Day…_

"I ended Arakan's life on that day." Dancho said to Raguel. "One life to save many more. It was on that day I failed everyone I cared about. And so I left my destroyed home, a shadow of my former self."

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, Dancho." Raguel said. "But what you did caused you to sink to his level. As a result, you're taking out your sadness and pain out on the people of LINK VRAINS by hurting them. Especially SengokuQueen, who once looked up to you as a teacher and a father!"

"I did it to save countless lives back then, boy!" Dancho countered back. "And I will do it again for the greater good of humanity!"

"That's the flaw in your beliefs, Dancho!" Raguel stated. "You believe that sacrificing lives to save many more is necessary. But it is not. And I will prove it. By defeating you while keeping the memory of your loved ones alive!"

Dancho was silent for a moment. He had to admit, he was curious about Raguel's declaration. He knew he would win next turn, but he wanted to see how far Raguel would go while sticking with his ideals. "Very well. I end my turn. Let's see if your next turn matches what you said."

"Alright, then! My turn! I draw!" Raguel declared, drawing the top card of his deck. "I Set one card face-down. Next, I summon Cyreath Witch from my hand!" A sorceress with short purple hair, glowing pink eyes and carrying a staff with a skull on it joined Raguel's field. She wore a raggedy cape and skirt.

**Cyreath Witch ATK: 1200 DEF: 0 LV: 4**

"Witch's effect! When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to my field equal to the number of cards in my hand! Since I have two cards in my hand, I can Special Summon two 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to my field!" Witch raised her staff into the air, making the skull on top of it glow purple. Soon, two small skeletons carrying short swords were raised from the dead, appearing on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 1**

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 1**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Witch and the two Cyreath Skeleton tokens in the Link Markers!" The two Skeleton tokens entered the upper-left and upper-right arrowheads, while Witch entered the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"So you summoned your ace monster…" Dancho muttered. "But it won't matter! I activate Flawless Perfection of the Tenyi's effect! Once per turn, if you Special Summon an effect monster while I control a face-down or non-effect monster, I get to draw two cards from my deck!" Once again, Dancho proceeded to draw the top two cards of his deck. _Excellent_, he thought, looking over his cards. _I drew the cards that defeated Gekiryushi. Once Raguel ends his turn, it's over._

"I activate the Equip Spell card, Amulet of Ouroboros!" Raguel said. The card showed Cyreath Grand Warden, wearing what looked like a golden amulet with a blue-green gem at the center. "When the equipped monster attacks-!"

"Sorry, but that won't happen!" Dancho suddenly said. "I activate my Counter Trap card, Fists of the Unrivaled Tenyi!"

"That's the second of Dancho's cards we had to look out for!" Herald said.

"When a Spell or Trap card, or a monster effect is activated while I control a face-up non-effect monster," Dancho explained, "I can negate the activation!" A violet aura appeared around the card, shutting down the Equip Spell and turning it to yellow particles.

"Damn it!" Raguel cursed. _Guess I need to go with Plan B_, he thought. "I activate the Spell card, Pandora's Box! This card lets me draw until I have five cards in my hand. However, I must discard a 'Cyreath' monster from my hand at the end of my turn, or I'll take 2000 points of damage." He then drew the top five cards of his deck. Looking them over, he smirked.

"I activate the effect of Cyreath Crafter from my hand!" The card showed a small man wearing orange overalls and a belt around his waist. He wore small shoes, had sandy-orange hair, and carried a small hammer. "By sending this card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can add an Equip Spell card from my deck or Graveyard to my hand!" Using Cyreath Crafter's effect, he sent it to the Graveyard to add Amulet of Ouroboros back from his Graveyard to his hand.

"Once again, Dancho, I activate the Equip Spell card, Amulet of Ouroboros!" The golden amulet appeared around Hercules' neck for a second time. "As I was saying before you interrupted me, when the equipped monster attacks a monster you control, I can shuffle it back into your deck instead of destroying it, and if I do, you take 200 points of damage for every card in your Graveyard!"

"What?" Dancho said, shocked that Raguel that he was able to make a comeback, however small it may be.

"That is another of my favorite cards." Herald said. "I just love this part."

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Hercules attacks Berserker of the Tenyi! At this point, I activate the effect of Amulet of Ouroboros! Go, Reversal of time!" Hercules charged up energy into the amulet before firing a blue-green blast from it that hit Berserker of the Tenyi, turning him into yellow particles as he returned to Dancho's extra deck, causing him to grit his teeth in annoyance.

"Since Berserker of the Tenyi was shuffled into the deck instead of destroyed, you take 200 points of damage for every card in your Graveyard!"

"Currently, there are seven cards in Dancho's Graveyard." Herald surmised.

"Which means you take 1400 points of damage, Dancho!" Raguel said, as seven blue-green orbs of energy appeared in a giant circle in front of Hercules. The orbs then launched themselves at Dancho, each one dropping his life points. One orb almost made him lose balance on his duel board entirely.

**Dancho: 3100 – 1400 = 1700 LP **

"Booyah!" Roxy cheered. "Nice one, Yuhiro!"

"That ends my turn." Raguel concluded. "And at this point, the second effect of Pandora's box activates! I'll discard Cyreath Sentry to avoid the 2000 penalty for activating it." He sent Sentry from his hand to his Graveyard.

"My turn! I draw!" Dancho said, drawing the top card of his deck and adding it to his hand. "I activate my face-down Trap card, Tenyi Renewal!" The card showed Monk of the Tenyi and Shaman of the Tenyi meditating on the dojo grounds, as the chi of Mapura, Shthana, and Nahata surrounded them. "This card lets me Special Summon up to three 'Tenyi' monsters from my Graveyard and/or Banished Zone to my field!"

"A card that can Special Summon monsters from the Banished Zone?" Raguel repeated, his eyes widening in surprise.

"That's correct!" Dancho replied. "Return, Tenyi Spirit – Nahata and Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda from the Banished Zone, and Monk of the Tenyi from the Graveyard!" The two misty serpentine dragons reappeared on his field, roaring at Raguel, while Monk of the Tenyi readied himself for battle in the middle Main Monster Zone.

**Monk of the Tenyi ATK: 1000 LINK-1 ****️**

**Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda ATK: 1500 DEF: 2500 LV: 7**

**Tenyi Spirt – Nahata ATK: 800 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"The second effect of Tenyi Renewal activates!" Dancho continued. "Upon activation, I can Link Summon a 'Tenyi' Link Monster by using only those monsters as Link Materials!" The Trap card then fired a blast of energy into the sky, creating a Link Portal. "The summoning conditions are two or more monsters, including a Link Monster! I'll set Monk of the Tenyi, which is a Link 1 monster, Tenyi – Spirit Nahata, and Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda in the Link Markers!" Monk of the Tenyi went into the top arrowhead, Nahata went into the upper-right arrowhead, and Vishuda went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The fallen student shall raze everything in his path to obtain the ultimate power! Link 3! Berserker of the Tenyi!" For a second time, Berserker of the Tenyi emerged from the Link Portal and appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Berserker of the Tenyi ATK: 3000 LINK-3 **⬆️↗️↘️

"Not good! Not good!" Herald panicked. "With his Vishuda and Nahata in his Graveyard once again, he'll be able to defeat us this turn!" Raguel gritted his teeth. He didn't like the situation either.

_With the cards currently on my field_, Dancho thought, _I can win. But I need to drive my point home with full force!_ "I activate the Spell card, The Shallow Grave! This card lets each of us Special Summon a monster from our Graveyards in face-down defense position!"

"Why are you doing this?" Raguel asked, as a monster card popped out of his Graveyard. He then Special Summoned that monster in face-down defense position to his field.

"You're about to find out very shortly." Dancho answered, as he took a monster card from his Graveyard and Special Summoned it to his field in face-down defense position. "Next, I activate the Spell card, Piercing!" The card showed Gaia the Fierce Knight's spear breaking through a shield. "I can target one monster I control, and if it attacks a defense position monster, you take piercing battle damage!"

"Why would you-?" Raguel was about to say, but then he started connecting the dots. Within moments, he gasped. It all made sense! "Oh no."

"Oh yes!" Dancho said, a malicious smirk on his face. "I activate my Skill, Ultimate Technique!" The green lines on his white coat glowed. "This turn, one monster I control can now attack all monsters you control once each!"

"So even with our defenses, we'll lose?" Herald said, who was clearly worried.

"No. I refuse to believe that, Herald." Raguel said, looking at his hand. "There has to be a way we'll survive this turn."

"Know this, Raguel." Dancho said, getting his and Herald's attention. "This duel is over! Battle! Berserker of the Tenyi attacks Cyreath Hercules! At this point, I activate the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Nahata from my Graveyard! Since an attack is declared involving my 'Tenyi' monster and your monster, I can banish this card from my Graveyard, and if I do, your monster loses 1500 attack points!" Berserker of the Tenyi punched his right hand forward once again, releasing Nahata, which went straight through Hercules' chest, creating a hole where his stomach should have been.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 – 1500 = 1000**

"Darkness Mixer!" Berserker of the Tenyi teleported right in front of Hercules, surprising him. Before he could deliver his barrage of punches and kicks though…

"Once again, I activate my Trap card, Cyreath Counter Shuffle!" Raguel said, but was soon interrupted by Dancho.

"You don't learn, do you?" Dancho shouted. "Vishuda's effect! By banishing this card from my Graveyard, I can negate the activation of your card and return it to your hand! Once again, I negate and return Cyreath Counter-Shuffle Trap to your hand!" Upon Dancho's command, Cyreath Counter Shuffle turned into yellow particles and returned to Raguel's hand.

"How about this, then?" Raguel suddenly said. "I activate my other face-down Trap card, Link Showdown! When a Link Monster I control battles a monster my opponent controls with higher attack points, my monster gains attack points equal to its Link Rating times 500! Since Hercules' Link Rating is three, it gains 1500 attack points!" Hercules stood up and roared as his strength increased, surprising both Dancho and Berserker of the Tenyi.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 1000 + 1500 = 2500**

"Impressive." Dancho muttered to himself. Gesturing to Berserker of the Tenyi, he said, "This changes nothing! Berserker of the Tenyi, resume your attack! Darkness Mixer!" Berserker of the Tenyi charged forward and delivered his barrage of punches and kicks, which Hercules took before being punched in the gut, destroying him as he turned into yellow particles.

**Raguel: 1300 – 500 = 800 LP**

"At least we survived that attack." Raguel said to Dancho.

"But you won't survive the next, and final attack!" Dancho said right back. "The battle continues! Berserker of the Tenyi attacks your face-down defense position monster! And since I targeted Berserker of the Tenyi with Piercing this turn, you take piercing battle damage! Darkness Mixer!" Berserker of the Tenyi teleported in front of his prey, hellbent on eradicating it.

"Farewell, Raguel." Berserker of the Tenyi then pummeled the face-down defense position monster, which revealed itself as Cyreath Sentry, before exploding. _It's over_, he thought. But to his surprise, Raguel sped out of the smoke, and he somehow had life points remaining!

**Raguel: 800 – 500 = 300 LP**

"What? Impossible! How are you still in this duel?" Dancho demanded, shocked that Raguel survived his onslaught.

"When you attacked my Cyreath Sentry, I was able to activate a Hand Trap of my own!" Raguel said, showing him a monster card that resembled a skeleton wearing Greek battle armor. "The card I sent to the Graveyard is called Cyreath Remains. By sending it to my Graveyard, I was able to increase the attack and defense points of any 'Cyreath' monster on my field by 500 until the end of the turn."

"The best part is that he can not only do this on your turn, but he can also target either a face-up or face-down 'Cyreath' monster for this effect." Herald further clarified, causing Dancho to widen his eyes in shock.

"You little…" Dancho growled in anger. "How did you-?" Suddenly, it dawned on him. _It was one of the cards he drew when he activated Pandora's Box_, he realized. He focused so much on defeating Raguel this turn that he failed to plan ahead for anything else that could come in his way!

"There's nothing else you can do this turn, Dancho!" Raguel said, getting the older Hanoi member's attention. "So just end your turn already."

Aware that there was nothing else he could do, Dancho seethed. "I…. end my turn." _Even if I failed to finish him off this turn_, he thought, looking at his trump card, _I can always stall for a little more time._

"I'm glad you survived, Yuhiro," Roxy said, "but do not pull that stunt on me again. You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I'll admit. That was too close of a call." Raguel said. "But don't worry. This turn will be the last!" Going back to the duel, he said, "My turn! I draw!" He smirked upon looking at the card he drew. "I activate the effect of Cyreath Chiron from my hand! By revealing this card, I can Special Summon it, as well as one 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard! In exchange, I can only attack with 'Cyreath' Link monsters this turn! And the monster I choose to bring back isCyreath Satyr!" Satyr returned to Raguel's field in the left Main Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Satyr ATK: 2300 DEF: 1400 LV: 5**

Then a creature with the upper body of a man and the lower body and legs of a horse joined his Cyreath comrade. He had long brown hair tied into a ponytail at the end, along with green eyes. He also wore an archaic style of dress with leather armor being clad onto it. He strung his bow at Dancho.

**Cyreath Chiron ATK: 2100 DEF: 1600 LVL: 6**

"You forgot about my Field Spell's effect!" Dancho said. "Since you Special Summoned an effect monster while I control a face-down or non-effect monster, I get to draw two cards from my deck!" He then drew the top two cards of his deck.

"Next, I summon Cyreath Barbarian from my hand!" Raguel said, resuming his turn. A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined his field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Hold on, Raguel!" Herald said, getting his attention. "There's something I need to show you."

"What is it?" Raguel asked, as Herald opened up a screen on his Duel Disk, which showed a new card. Upon looking at the card, he was amazed. "When did you make this?"

"After our duel with Kazuma. And it took the whole night too." Herald answered. "As evidenced in our duel against Dancho so far, the Hanoi members have gotten stronger. Which is why I made a powerful 'Cyreath' Link Monster to help make the 'Cyreath' deck tougher to beat. I call the monster I made a 'Cyreath' God."

"Interesting." Raguel said. "Let's see what _he_ can do, then." Going back to the duel, he thrusted his right hand out and shouted, "Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal soon appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are exactly three 'Cyreath' monsters! I set Cyreath Barbarian, Cyreath Chiron, and Cyreath Satyr in the Link Markers!" Barbarian went into the bottom-left arrowhead, Satyr went into the bottom arrowhead, and Chiron went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! From the depths of Tartarus, emerge, and claim the souls of those who oppose you! Link 3! Cyreath Hades, Lord of the Underworld!" A grotesque, demonic large man wearing a blazing helm on his head and cloth around his waist, with chains wrapped around his body and spikes on his back, emerged from the Link Portal and appeared on Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. He carried two clawed chain blades, with each blade emitting a purple glow.

**Cyreath Hades, Lord of the Underworld ATK: 3000 LINK-3 **↙️⬇️↘️

"When and where did you get that monster?" Dancho demanded, shocked at seeing Hades. "I thought you needed Storm Access to acquire new Link Monsters."

"That's true." Herald admitted. "But when you're an Ignis like me, nothing is impossible!"

"The effect of Barbarian activates!" Raguel said. "Since it was sent to the Graveyard for a Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster that used this card as a Link Material gains 500 attack points!"

**Cyreath Hades, Lord of the Underworld ATK: 3000 + 500 = 3500**

"I activate my Skill, Call of Olympus! I can Special Summon one random 'Cyreath' monster from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add one Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck, which he added to his hand. _Not bad_, he thought, looking at the card. "Using my Skill, I Special Summon Cyreath Valkyrie!" A female warrior with dark red hair, dressed in a long leather loincloth with matching leather brassiere and knee-high boots, in the middle Main Monster Zone Hades was pointing to.

**Cyreath Valkyrie ATK: 1600 DEF: 1300 LVL: 4**

"And since I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 'Cyreath' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Raguel added Cyreath Launch to his hand.

"I activate Hades' first effect! Once per turn-!"

"I WON'T LET YOU, BOY!" Dancho screamed, hellbent on stopping him. "I activate the effect of Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit from my hand! Since a monster on your field activated it's effect, I can send this card from my hand or field to the Graveyard to destroy it!"

A little girl with long, blond hair briefly appeared on Dancho's field. The girl wore brown robes and had a small katana on her back. A ghostly rabbit was with her as well. Seeing Hades, the little girl took out her small katana and charged. However…

"I don't think so, Dancho!" Raguel said right back. "I activate Hades' second effect! If he would be destroyed by a card effect, I can tribute a monster that he points to instead! Soul Eradication!" Valkyrie vanished into yellow particles, which went into Hades' helm, igniting it with blazing energy. Hades then fired a massive beam of blazing energy from his helm at Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit, _literally_ burning her away and destroying her.

"You stopped my trump card? Impossible! There has to be a mistake!" Dancho exclaimed.

"The only error you made is underestimating us!" Herald pointed out.

"That's right, partner!" Raguel agreed with Herald. He then shifted his focus back to the duel. "I activate Hades' first effect! Once per turn, I can target one face-up monster you control and place that monster to a zone Hades points to and take control of it! However, it cannot attack the turn I activate this effect!"

"What?" Dancho said in shock. "Your monster can do that?"

"It's no monster, it's a 'Cyreath' God!" Raguel and Herald said together. "Soul Removal!" Hades swung his clawed chain blades around and around, before lashing them out at Berserker of the Tenyi, who screamed as his soul was ripped out of his body before vanishing from Dancho's field and reappearing in the middle Main Monster Zone on Raguel's field.

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Cyreath Launch!" Raguel said. "This card lets one 'Cyreath' monster I control attack you directly, but other monsters I control cannot attack for the rest of this turn."

"This can't be…" Dancho said, his eyes widening in disbelief as he realized that he lost the duel.

"Oh, but it is." Raguel replied.

"For the win, Yuhiro!" Roxy cheered, eager to see the final attack on the monitors.

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Hades, Lord of the Underworld attacks you directly, Dancho! Soul Materialization!" Raising his clawed chain blades in the air, Hades summoned several souls out of them. At his command, the souls flew towards Dancho, distracting him before Hades jumped forward and slashed him using his clawed chain blades. As a result, an explosion occurred, causing Dancho to scream as he fell off his duel board and landed on the ground below.

**Dancho: 1700 – 3500 = 0**

"We won!" Herald said.

"Nice job, Yuhiro!" Roxy added.

"Thank you, Roxy. Herald." Raguel said. As he landed on the ground, he went to where Dancho was and got his attention. "As promised, you need to tell me how I can bring SengokuQueen back."

"Alright." Dancho replied, as he raised his left arm over his chest. He then pressed a few buttons on it using his right hand, releasing a purple, digital card. He then grabbed the card and gave it to Raguel. "Insert this card into her Duel Disk, and she will log out of LINK VRAINS."

"Thank you." Raguel said, taking the card from Dancho. He was about to walk away when he heard Dancho grunt as he slowly got up.

"I must say, I'm impressed boy." Dancho said, who was clearly weakened. "You clearly defeated me while sticking to your ideals. Well done." He then would have fallen over had Raguel not ran over and caught him.

"Easy." Raguel told him, as he set Dancho carefully to a sitting position. "You've clearly just dueled, and soon you'll be turned into an 'Another'."

"I'm afraid you're right on that." Dancho chuckled, agreeing with Raguel. He turned his head to look at him. "You deserve to know."

"Deserve to know what?"

"Why I joined the Hanoi." Dancho clarified, as he turned his head to look up into the digital sky. "It was because of _him_."

_Flashback: Eleven years ago…._

"_After what happened, I made it on foot to Den City for many days and many nights. When I eventually got there, I bought an apartment, and started up a small business as a private Duel Instructor."_

It was the evening. Zandaka was in his apartment, making lesson plans. A look of exhaustion was clearly on his face, but he knew he couldn't stop. Everything he learned was practically burned in his head. If Zandaka were to put down what he learned on paper, perhaps he can save the teachings and pass them down to future generations of young duelists.

"_Unfortunately, I didn't get many clients because the people in Den City preferred to enroll their kids in duel schools. One day, however, I received a call from a man I would soon call a beloved friend."_

Putting the lesson plans into his backpack, Zandaka headed out and started walking to his destination. As he continued walking, he recalled what happened. The man who spoke to him said he and his wife wanted to meet him in person, and that they were looking for a private Duel Instructor to teach their son about Duel Monsters. This was because the Den City Summer Camp, which taught kids how to play Duel Monsters, was all filled up.

"_When I got there, I was nervous. My teachings were always a little rough, I admit, but they helped Kataru, Gekiryushi, and Arakan achieve their potential."_

As Zandaka walked up the cliff outside Den City, he looked out into the ocean. _Kataru always loved the beauty of the ocean_, he thought, as he continued walking up to the house.

"_However, what I didn't know was that, upon meeting the family there, my life would change forever."_

Once he reached the house, he was surprised at how large the place was. Getting over his astonishment, he approached the door and rang the doorbell. Within a moments, a man and a woman answered it. The man wore a white buttoned up shirt, with a dark-blue blazer on it, along with dark-blue pants. He had yellow eyes, a grey beard, and black and grey hair.

The woman beside him wore a light-green blouse, with white pants. She had fair skin, along with light-blue eyes and short, purple hair, with dark-blue highlights.

"Um, hello." Zandaka greeted the couple. "Are you Kiyoshi Kogami and Yua Kogami?"

"That's correct," the man, Kiyoshi answered. "And you must be Zandaka Ikiagi, correct?" Zandaka nodded. "Please, come in."

Zandaka then followed the couple into their home and into the kitchen. He and Kiyoshi sat down at the table, while Yua went to make some herbal tea.

"Would you like some herbal tea?" Yua asked Zandaka.

"Yes, please." Zandaka said, as she brought the tea to where he sat at before going back to make her own herbal tea.

"So, based on what you told me, you used to be a sensei, correct?" Kiyoshi asked him.

"Y-Yes." Zandaka answered. He was hesitant in his answer. "Unfortunately, my dojo was destroyed, and I had to move here as a result, on foot."

"I'm so sorry." Yua said, as she sat down across from Zandaka and beside Kiyoshi. "It must have been hard for you."

"It was." Zandaka agreed with her. "Thank you very much for your condolences. Both of you."

"No problem." Kiyoshi said, smiling at the older man. "Now onto why you're here. My wife and I are looking for a private Duel Instructor to teach our son Duel Monsters. Have you taught the game before?"

"Yes." Dancho replied. "Back home, three of my pupils were at the top of the dojo as a result of my teachings."

"Interesting." Yua mused that information over before asking, "How exactly do you teach the game?"

"By focusing on the relationship between teacher and student." Zandaka answered, remembering what _his_ master taught him a long time ago. "The master provides the groundwork for the student in the form of lessons, and the student practices what they learned. It is through this method that not only allows the student to make mistakes, but gives them the chance to achieve an understanding of Duel Monsters as well."

Both Yua and Kiyoshi were pleased with this answer. They may have just found someone to teach their son Duel Monsters!

After a few moments, Kiyoshi asked Zandaka, "Would you like to meet our son?"

The question surprised Zandaka. He may have just found another client after a long time. "Yes, please."

"Ryoken! Come down to the kitchen, please!" Kiyoshi called out to him. "There's someone who wants to meet you."

"Coming, father!" Ryoken said, as he ran downstairs to the kitchen. When he got there, Zandaka turned around in his chair to look at the boy. He wore a grey hoodie over a dark pink shirt and a dark pair of pants with purple and black shoes. Ryoken had fair skin, with light-blue eyes and white hair that spiked backwards at the sides, with purple-blue highlights.

"This is Zandaka Ikiagi." Kiyoshi said. "He is going to be your Duel Instructor. Do you know what that means?"

Ryoken shook his head.

"It means that he's going to teach you how to play Duel Monsters." Yua said. "Do you understand?"

Ryoken nodded as he walked to Zandaka and offered him his hand, the same way grown men do many times before. Zandaka knelt down to Ryoken's level before taking his small hand in his right and gently closing his fingers around it.

"Please to meet you, sir." Ryoken said, a smile on his face.

_This boy reminds me of Kataru_, Zandaka thought, as he brought his left hand on top of his right, Ryoken's small hand lost somewhere in the middle.

Smiling as he looked at Ryoken, Zandaka said, "My dear child. The pleasure is all mine."

_Flashback end: Present Day…_

"Looking at that boy," Dancho said, "I realized, in that moment, I was given a second chance to make a difference in another young child's life. And as a result, I became one of the most important people in his life."

"Revolver…" Raguel realized.

"Yes. I taught Revolver how to play Duel Monsters." Dancho confirmed. He looked at his right hand, which started turning black and breaking down into pieces of data. "Listen, Raguel. I don't have much time left before I'm erased. Therefore… I would like to ask something of you."

"What is it?" Raguel asked. Normally, he wouldn't do anything for any Hanoi member, but this time, he was willing to make an exception.

"Save… Revolver." Dancho requested. "There is still… good in him. I know it. Please, I beg you."

Raguel thought about it for a few moments. This guy was asking him to save Revolver? He must care about Revolver that much for him to make that request. "Alright. I'll do my best."

Dancho smiled. "Thank you." And the rest of him turned into pieces of data, indicating that he had been purged.

"Yo, Yuhiro!" Roxy said, snapping Raguel back into reality. "You have the method to save SengokuQueen, right?"

"R-Right." Raguel confirmed, jumping onto his duel board as he sped of to where Go and Stregone were. _I can think of what Dancho said later_, Raguel thought as he increased speed. _Now it's time to complete the task_.

Once Raguel reached to where Go and Stregone were, he noticed a pile of defeated Knights of Hanoi.

"Looks like you guys were busy." Raguel said, jumping onto the building where they were.

"It was no sweat." Go replied. "Did you defeat the old geezer?"

"Yeah." Raguel answered, walking over to SengokuQueen's body. He then put the purple digital card into her Duel Disk, causing her to log out of LINK VRAINS.

"So that's it." Stregone said. "The 'Another' threat is finally over."

"That may be true, but the Hanoi is still out there." Raguel replied, standing up.

"But if they do come back, we'll be ready!" Go promised.

"I know you will." Raguel said. He would have said more, but Roxy contacted him. "Excuse me." He walked away from them so they wouldn't overhear.

"Yo, Yuhiro!" Roxy suddenly said to Raguel through his earpiece. "Kusanagi just contacted me. He said that Playmaker defeated Faust, and he located Shima in the real world."

"Alright." Raguel replied, taking in the information. "Thanks. Will be right there." Turning to Go and Stregone, he said, "Stay safe. Both of you." Raguel soon logged out afterwards.

"He couldn't have stayed a little longer?" Go said. "I wanted to duel him with my upgraded 'Gouki' deck."

"Maybe he has some business to take care of in the real world," Stregone theorized. As he looked up into the sky, he thought, _Wherever you are in the real world, Raguel, stay safe as well._

_At Café Matsuo's backroom…_

A look of exhaustion was on Yuhiro's face as the door to the closed-off space opened. He was forced to go on one knee, as the duel tired him out.

"Need a hand, buster?" Yuhiro looked up to see Roxy offer him a hand.

"Yeah, thanks." Yuhiro said, accepting Roxy's hand and standing up. "Today's duel was just tiring."

"You could say that again." Roxy said, as the two of them headed to their seats and sat down in them. "And congrats on the win, too!"

"It was too close of a win, though." Raguel replied, pondering the entire duel over. "If I learned anything from this duel, it's proof that the Hanoi has gotten much stronger."

"And that's something we can all agree on." Herald added, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "It took me a whole night to make Cyreath Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Next time, we need to be more prepared."

"What do you mean?" Roxy asked Herald. "Are you saying you can make Link Monsters or support for Yuhiro's deck?"

"Basically, yes and no." Herald confirmed, thinking for a moment before resuming. "It's not like Storm Access, where you can simply obtain a Link Monster from the Data Storm, and it fits the situation. Instead, there are two factors I need to take into account whenever I make either a Link Monster or a new card for Yuhiro's deck. One: Energy. We Ignis use Data Material to generate new cards. As a result of spending so much time in that pendant, I have lots of Data Material to use, but a refill doesn't hurt every now and then. Two: Rules. I can't just make cards that are OP you know! There are specific rules I need to abide by as well."

Roxy pondered this over for a few moments. "So you're saying you can't make cards that will break the game, and you need energy to make them?"

"Exactly!" Herald confirmed. "While the possibilities of the Ignis are endless, we do have limits in terms of rules and energy."

"Then we should contact Watchman about this." Yuhiro offered. "Maybe he can offer some guidance in terms of the-."

GROWL…..

"Perhaps we'll contact him after a decent meal." Roxy said. "Follow me, you two. Cause I'm cooking up some cheeseburgers!"

Immediately, Progleo jumped out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "Oh boy, cheeseburgers!" The cub followed Roxy to the kitchen, eager for a meal.

"You go and celebrate your victory, Yuhiro." Herald said, turning to him. "I'll contact Watchman."

"If you say so, Herald." Yuhiro replied, as Herald vanished into his Duel Disk. He then headed for the kitchen to set the table, while Roxy cooked the cheeseburgers.

_The next day…_

Yuhiro walked home from school using the usual route. Today was just a typical school day. And the fact that things were back to normal made Yuhiro happy for once.

However, there was one thing that was on his mind. Dancho's last request before being purged. He wanted him to save Revolver, as he believed there was still good left in him. _From what Dancho told me_, Raguel thought, _he taught Revolver how to play Duel Monsters. They must have spent so much time together that Dancho considered Revolver like a son. Even after being purged, he doesn't want to lose another person in his life. _

"What's on your mind, Yuhiro?" Herald asked.

"It's that request Dancho made to me before he got purged." Yuhiro answered him. "Be honest, Herald. How do you feel about it?"

Herald thought about that question for a full minute. "Saving the man who tried to destroy the Cyberse World? The truth is, I harbor ill feelings towards Revolver for that act. But I do believe that humans have the capacity to be good. And even though Dancho was a Knight of Hanoi, he did have more honor than the others, plus proving my point."

"So what's your answer?"

"I say we try and appeal to the humanity in Revolver's heart, just like you did with Dancho by fighting without destroying his Link Monsters." Herald answered.

"That is… very human of you, Herald." Yuhiro stated.

"What can I say? I was created from you." Herald replied. Soon, Yuhiro's phone vibrated. "Roxy's texting you?"

"Yeah. Hold on." Yuhiro said, reading the text. He then started running.

"Yuhiro. What's going on?" Herald asked, holding onto the Duel Disk for dear life.

"We have to head back to Café Matsuo immediately!" Yuhiro replied. "Something just happened."

_Ten minutes later…_

Once Yuhiro arrived at Café Matsuo, he immediately headed for the backroom. There, he found Roxy looking at the monitors.

"What's up?" Yuhiro asked as he sat down at his seat.

"Take a look at this." Roxy told him, as he looked at the screen, which showed a message.

_Meet me in LINK VRAINS. And bring Playmaker with you._

_\- W. _

"Glad to see that Watchman responded to my message." Herald said, reading his response over.

"My only question is: How are we going to get Fujiki's attention?" Roxy asked Yuhiro, her head turning to face him.

"You just leave that to me." Yuhiro replied, as he ran to the closed-off space and closed the door. He then put his deck into his Duel Disk and said, "Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS…_

Raguel emerged from the portal and landed on the rooftop.

"Have you sent that message to Ai yet, Herald?" Raguel asked him.

"Yup." Herald replied. "They should be here in a few moments." And just as Herald said, another portal appeared, Playmaker emerging from it and landing on the same rooftop Raguel was on.

"Raguel. Herald said you wanted to meet us." Playmaker stated. "Did you find something related to the Knights of Hanoi?"

"Yeah, Herald." Ai said. "Why exactly did you call us?"

"Well, you see…" But that was all Herald could say, as a bright light shined from both Raguel's and Playmaker's Duel Disks.

"What's going on?" Playmaker asked, as he and Raguel, along with Ai and Herald, disappeared from LINK VRAINS.

_In Watchman's server…_

Raguel and Playmaker reappeared in Watchman's server. When Playmaker looked around as to where they were, he was awestruck at what he was seeing.

"This is a private server, isn't it?" Playmaker muttered. He never went into this area of LINK VRAINS. Playmaker then turned to Raguel. "Who's private server is this?"

"Gentleman." Watchman said, getting Raguel and Playmaker's attention as he emerged from an orange gateway. "It's time we talked about your destinies."

**Card Gallery**

_Tenyi Spirit - Vishuda (LV: 7/Wyrm/Dark/ATK: 1500/DEF: 2500)_

_Effect: If you control no Effect Monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. When your opponent activates a Spell/Trap card, or monster effect while you control a face-up non-Effect Monster: You can banish this card from your GY; negate the activation, and if you do, return it to the hand. You can only use each effect of 'Tenyi Spirit - Vishuda' once per turn._

_Cyreath Crafter (LV: 1/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 100/DEF: 0)_

_Effect: Once per turn: You can send this card from your hand to the GY; add 1 Equip Spell card from your Deck or GY to your hand. _

_Cyreath Remains (LV: 3/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)_

_Effect: During either player's turn, when a face-up or face-down 'Cyreath' monster you control battles a monster your opponent controls: You can send this card from your hand to the GY, and if you do, 1 'Cyreath' monster you control gains 500 ATK and DEF until the End Phase._

_Amulet of Ouroboros (Equip Spell card)_

_Effect: Equip only to a 'Cyreath' monster. When the equipped monster battles a monster your opponent controls: You can shuffle that monster into the Deck instead of destroying it, and if you do, your opponent takes 200 damage for every card in their GY. _

_Piercing (Normal Spell card)_

_Effect: Target 1 monster you control; this turn, if the targeted monster attacks a defense position monster your opponent controls; inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent._

_Tenyi Renewal (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: Target up to 3 'Tenyi' monsters in your GY and/or Banished Zone; Special Summon them to your field. Immediately after this card resolves, Link Summon 1 'Tenyi' Link Monster from your Extra Deck, using only those monsters. You can only activate 1 'Tenyi Renewal' per turn._

_Cyreath Minotaur (LR: 2/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1800/➡️⬇️️__)_

_Effect: 2 'Cyreath' monsters. When this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: You can draw 1 card. If this card is used for the Link Summon of a 'Cyreath' Link Monster; this turn, the Link Monster that used this card as material can attack all monsters your opponent controls once each. _

_Cyreath Hades, Lord of the Underworld (LR: 3/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 3000/__↙️__⬇️↘️__)_

_Effect: 3 'Cyreath' monsters. Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; place that monster in a zone this card points to and take control of it, but it cannot attack the turn you activate this effect. If this card would be destroyed by a card effect: You can tribute 1 monster this card points to instead._

**QOTC**

_Do you think Dancho is more of a tragic character than an antagonist?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 19: Of Knights and Birds. In order to prepare Raguel and Playmaker for what's to come, Watchman has brought them to his server! There, both Playmaker and Raguel are thrown into duels that challenge not just their talent as duelists, but also what they believe in as well. How will these duels impact them? And what will be the end result?_

_Chapter 20: Duel Charisma Festival. To celebrate the end of the 'Another' threat against LINK VRAINS, SOL Technologies hosts two special duels between four Charisma Duelists. With everything back to normal for now, Yuhiro and Roxy decide to take a break and hang out with Yusaku and Kusanagi to watch the duels. However, during those duels, something occurs that catches both Yuhiro's and Yusaku's attention..._

**Responses to Reviews and Authors Notes **

Thank you to Guest, EvilDragonLord101, Guest, ZeroMK7, HunterHQ, Anonymous, Unknown, and Unnamed for reviewing Chapter 17 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everyone! I hoped that you've enjoyed the duel in this chapter. To thank you all for your support, I've put down not one, but two chapter previews. Chapter 19 will conclude the 'Another' arc, while Chapter 20 will start an arc that takes place a few days before the Tower of Hanoi arc. This arc will be called the 'Cyberse Hunt' arc. What do you think will happen? You'll have to continue reading to find out the answer for yourself. Let's get to the recap, shall we?

The main event of this chapter was Raguel and Dancho's duel. I must say, as of right now, this was one of Raguel's toughest duels. If it weren't for Raguel's Hand Trap, Cyreath Remains, he wouldn't have survived against Dancho's Berserker of the Tenyi. Luckily for Raguel, he was able to win by using a new Link Monster: Cyreath Hades, Lord of the Underworld, which Herald created after the duel against Lord Kazuma. Credit goes to E.T. 2000 for the name.

Following the duel, before getting purged, Dancho requests Raguel to save Revolver, which he agrees to. This is the reason why Dancho made the request: After the destruction of the Shinpi-Tekina dojo, Dancho moved to Den City, where he opened a small business as a private Duel Instructor. One day, he received a call from Kiyoshi Kogami, where he, along with his wife, Yua Kogami, wanted to meet with him in person. For those of you who were wondering, I chose the name Yua because it means binding love and affection, which symbolizes how much Revolver loves and cares for his father. Let me know what you think of this.

It is at the Kogami residence where Zandaka meets Ryoken Kogami, before he became Revolver. There, he becomes his Duel Instructor, as he realizes that he's been given another change to make a difference in his life.

We also learn something not just about Herald, but about the other Ignis as well. Herald can make Link Monsters and/or support, but not in the way you think. I'm just going to say it right now so there's no confusion later on: **It is not like Storm Access**. Rather, when Herald makes either a Link Monster or support, he has to abide by certain rules in the process of making them. After all, he can't make an Insta-kill card. Making new cards also uses up Data Material, which acts as their energy source.

The last main thing that happens this chapter is Watchman summoning Raguel and Playmaker to his server. What do you think Watchman wants from them? This will be answered next chapter.

With the recap out of the way, let's get to the reviews:

Guest: I'm going to be honest, here. I do plan on developing Yuhiro and Aoi's friendship, but it's going to stay platonic. If anything, Aoi is going to be one of the people Yuhiro can put his trust in, nothing more, nothing less.

EvilDragonLord101: Yes. This story definitely shows girl power. And it will show more girl power in the next two arcs to come.

Guest: Alright. I will do that.

ZeroMK7: Once again, thank you very much. Emon's scar is actually based off of Arkham's from Devil May Cry 3. Also, do tell me about your match against the Red-Eyes player. I'm quite interested in hearing about it.

HunterHQ: First off, you'll have to keep on reading to find out. Second, great observations you made regarding Dancho's monsters and how it's similar to other characters in VRAINS. I'm glad you enjoyed the Kung Fu Panda references as well. As for Miyu having competition against Rachel, I doubt that would be the case. After all, you never know what could happen. Finally, there's nothing going on between Roxy and Kusanagi. Rather, they're just friends.

Anonymous: Glad to see that Rachel's backstory surprised you. While there are similarities to the Lost Incident, the purpose of it is entirely different. As to what it is, you'll have to find out later on in the story.

Unknown: How Rachel got her Cyberse cards will be explained later on in the story.

Unnamed: Yes, I'm aware. However, Sahasrara won't appear until much, much later in the story.

As always, let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. Did you enjoy the rematch between Raguel and Dancho? What do you think will happen next? And were you surprised at the appearance of an OC card that was made from a Rush Duel card?

Put your guesses down, as the 'Another' Arc concludes next chapter. See you next time!


	19. Chapter 19: Of Knights and Birds

**Update**: Before this chapter begins, I wanted to give a special thank you to ZarcEternal, HunterHQ, and Yuman28 for pointing out the error made regarding Cyreath Counter-Shuffle. I therefore decided to give Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda an anime effect, where when a card effect is activated, it can be banished to not only negate the effect, but also return that card to the hand.

Anyhow, onto the chapter.

**Chapter 19: Of Knights and Birds**

_In Watchman's server…_

"I must confess." Watchman said, looking at Raguel and Playmaker. "After seeing how the two of you handled yourselves against Zandaka and Aso, or as you know them, Dancho and Faust, my interest is piqued. Even against strong opponents such as them, you still prevailed."

"What is this?" Playmaker demanded. "Why have you brought us here?"

"Playmaker. Also known as _Yusaku Fujiki_." Watchman replied, as Playmaker was shocked at what he just heard. "The man who channels his hubris and anger and calls it strength. Are you truly aware of why you really fight? No. Not yet." He turned to Raguel. "You haven't found the answer to that question either, Raguel. But rest assured: There is still time to prepare you both for what's to come."

"He knows who you are, Playmaker?!" Ai exclaimed, emerging from Playmaker's Duel Disk.

"Don't be so shocked, Playmaker." Raguel told him. "When I first met with him, he revealed that he knew my identity too."

"That, and he kicked our asses shortly afterwards." Herald added, emerging from Raguel's Duel Disk. "But hey, it _was_ a humbling experience for Raguel."

Kusanagi, who was in the back of Café Nagi, was shocked at what he just witnessed on the monitors. First, Playmaker, along with Raguel, were transported to a private server. Then the man who owned the private server, who Kusanagi could only identify as Watchman, revealed that he knew Yusaku was Playmaker. "This guy knows that Yusaku is Playmaker..." He could not believe it at all.

Elsewhere, in the backroom of Café Matsuo, Roxy was also watching what was transpiring on the monitors. After the fiasco with Lord Kazuma, she developed a program so that, if Raguel were to disappear from the general area of LINK VRAINS, she would be able to locate where he was and still help him out. "Hope you know what you're doing, Yuhiro..." Roxy muttered, as she continued to look at the monitors.

Meanwhile, in Watchman's Server, Playmaker regained his senses after hearing what Raguel and Herald said to him. He then directed his attention to Watchman. "If you know who Raguel and I are, then that brings me to only one conclusion: You were one of the researchers there during the Hanoi Project, weren't you?"

"Excellent observation, Playmaker." Watchman praised him. "Just as I confirmed with Raguel, I will confirm with you as well. I was indeed one of the researchers throughout the Hanoi Project."

"Then why have you brought us here? To remind us of our suffering during the Hanoi Project?" Playmaker demanded from Watchman once again.

Watchman simply chuckled at Playmaker's question. "To remind you both of your suffering?" He turned his head to look at the stars around them. "Why would I do that, when I can instead prepare myself and the both of you for the Crisis to come."

"You still didn't answer my question."

Watchman turned to face Raguel and Playmaker. "I planned to meet with you and Raguel once the 'Another' threat was over. In addition, Herald sent me a message last night regarding Data Material, the endless possibilities the Ignis have, and abiding by their limits. Those questions couldn't have come at a better timing. Which is why I decided to bring you both here. To answer Herald's questions, and test you both."

"So the two of you were partially responsible for this." Playmaker said to Raguel, turning to face him, a mixture of anger and confusion clearly evident on his face.

"Partially." Herald clarified. "We had to send that message to Watchman."

"This was because we barely won in our duels against both Dancho and Kazuma." Raguel added, causing Playmaker's eyes to widen in surprise as his anger popped. "If it weren't for Herald creating a new Link Monster, we would've lost against Dancho."

"Hold on." Ai interrupted. "You can create Link Monsters, Herald?"

"Ai." Herald said, a frustrated look on his face. "As an Ignis yourself, YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CREATE LINK MONSTERS!"

Playmaker turned to look at Watchman, confusion still evident on his face. "If you were among the researchers during the Hanoi Project, why are you fighting against them?"

Watchman turned away from Raguel and Playmaker to look at the stars behind him. "As I told Raguel, I wish to repent for the sins I've committed. I want to stop the Hanoi from doing something so horrendous that it will affect the Cyberse and the Human world." He raised his arms high above his head, as he continued to look at the stars. "You know, when I look at these stars, I can't help but marvel at how spectacular they are. Just like how these stars bring something remarkable to humans, I believe that the coexistence between the Cyberse and humans can do the same thing."

"Coexistence?" Playmaker repeated.

"Yes. The ability for two different races to live in harmony." Watchman clarified, turning his head as he looked at Playmaker. "Doesn't it intrigue you? That you're ability to bond with the Dark Ignis, who you named Ai, is proof that coexistence can exist?"

"I don't care what you believe." Playmaker said. "Since you were among the researchers during the Hanoi Project, I'm challenging you to a duel. And when I defeat you, you will do three things for me. One: You will give me the names of the researchers who were involved in the Hanoi Project. Two: You will help me rescue the one who saved not just me, but all the other kids who were involved in the Lost Incident a long time ago. Three: You will answer why we were kidnapped and forced to suffer in the first place."

"Um, Playmaker, I wouldn't do that." Raguel warned him. "I challenged this guy a long time ago, and lost."

"And what about the questions I asked you, Watchman?" Herald asked him. "Can you at least answer them before you duel Playmaker?"

Watchman simply laughed at Playmaker. "Duel you? Right now? Normally, I would accept your challenge to humble you, just like I did with Raguel. However, my allies will be dueling the both of you instead."

"Allies?" Playmaker and Raguel said at the same time. Raguel was about to say something, but Ai beat him to the punch.

"Are you afraid to duel Playmaker and Ai because you're scared?" Ai asked Watchman, while adding a pun at the same time.

"No, my friend." Watchman answered Ai. "I'm having my allies duel you both so that you're prepared for the Crisis." He raised his left hand so that it was in front of his chest, as two small spheres of orange data material generated above it. He then released the two spheres towards Ai and Herald, who grabbed them immediately.

"Hey. These are..." Ai began.

"Data Material Spheres." Herald finished, as the two Ignis ate them, each of them gaining strength.

"Surviving these trials will only be found by knowing your true self." Watchman said, as he raised his left hand once again, only this time to the air. He then _released_ a Data Storm from it, much to Raguel and Playmaker's shock. Using his right hand, he then directed some of the Data Material to create a doorway. "Your trial awaits you through this doorway, Raguel. As for you, Playmaker, you'll have to ride this Data Storm to find yours." He then turned into orange particles as he disappeared.

"Good luck on your trial, Playmaker." Raguel said to him, as he ran into the doorway, intent on completing his trial. The doorway then disappeared.

"You as well, Raguel." Playmaker said, as he jumped into the air, his duel board materializing underneath him as he rode the Data Storm. _Whoever this Watchman is_, Playmaker thought, _he was involved in the Hanoi Project all those years ago_. He narrowed his eyes. _But once I get through this test of his, I'll be able to duel him and get the answers not just for myself, but for Jin, Raguel, and everyone else that was involved in the Lost Incident!_

"Yusaku." Kusanagi said to him through the com. "I can't believe that we have another lead on the Hanoi. And this time, it's one of the researchers who were there when it all started!"

"I know, Kusanagi." Playmaker replied. "Once I get through his trial, I promise you: I will duel Watchman and get the answers we're both after."

"But Raguel said that he dueled him and lost." Kusanagi stated. "This means he may be on Revolver's level."

"Maybe." Playmaker admitted. "But no powerful the enemy, I can't falter. For Jin. For everyone who was afflicted by the Lost Incident. And for the one who saved us all those years ago!"

"Those statements are impressive, Playmaker. But will it help you get through this trial?"

Playmaker turned his head behind him and gasped upon hearing that voice, as a figure on his duel board sped in front of him. The duel board he was riding on was colored dark metal grey, with eerie-blue highlights running along the sides and on the front, with an eerie-blue stripe on the outmost front. The board's rear sides also had glowing eerie-blue recesses as well.

The man who was riding the duel board was fully clad in pitch-black armor, with a rustic black helmet that had a thinly carved slit displaying the ghastly red glow of his eyes. Black markings were evident on the vambraces of the armor, as well as the cuisses and greaves. The pauldron on his shoulders were slightly spiked, and there were also small spikes on his cuirass as well.

Playmaker sped up so he could be parallel with the armored duelist. "Are you one of Watchman's allies sent to duel me?"

"Correct. And you can call me Percival," the armored duelist answered him. "I'm here to duel you and see if you are truly ready for what's to come."

"You mean Revolver and the Hanoi?"

"Not just that, but what lies beyond." Percival clarified to Playmaker. "All your actions up until now have been to fight against the Knights of Hanoi. To get justice for what's been done to you. It's that goal that's been motivating you the whole time. I therefore want to see your fortitude first-hand!"

"If that's what you want, then I will accept your challenge!" Playmaker responded. _Perhaps if I defeat Percival_, Playmaker thought, _he'll direct me to where Watchman is. And there, I'll duel him to get our answers._

"Let's give this guy a duel he won't forget!" Ai added.

"Speed Duel!" Percival and Playmaker said in unison.

**Percival: 4000 LP**

**Playmaker: 4000 LP**

"Playmaker. Because I challenged you," Percival said, "I will let you decide to go first or second."

"He's letting us decide?" Ai said, turning to Playmaker. "That's chivalrous of him, considering that he looks like a knight."

"Then we should use this choice to set up a defense. After all, we don't know what deck he'll use." Playmaker replied. Directing his attention to Percival, he told him, "I'll go first." He then looked at the cards in his hand. "I Set one card face-down. Next, as I control no monsters, I can Special Summon LinkSlayer from my hand!" A man in golden lion armor with a long, brown cape appeared on Playmaker's field. On each of his claws was a translucent, long blue blade.

**LinkSlayer ATK: 2000 DEF: 600 LV: 5**

"And since I control a Cyberse monster, I can Special Summon Backup Secretary from my hand!" A purple-haired woman with white clothes and a purple cape also appeared on Playmaker's field.

**Backup Secretary ATK: 1200 DEF: 800 LV: 3 **

"Now I summon Link Streamer from my hand!" Playmaker continued, as a golden dragon with solar panels for wings joined his field. It had a circular body with a hole in the middle, along with two smaller solar panels on each side.

**Link Streamer ATK: 1600 DEF: 1800 LV: 4**

"And now, I shall create my ultimate circuit!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of Playmaker. "The summoning conditions are one Level 4 or lower Cyberse monster! I'll set Backup Secretary in the Link Markers!" Backup Secretary went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Link Disciple!" A red and black machine appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on Playmaker's field.

**Link Disciple ATK: 500 LINK-1** ⬇️

"I activate the effect of Link Streamer!" Playmaker added. "Once per turn, when a Cyberse monster is Normal or Special Summoned while this card is on the field, I can Special Summon a 'Data' token to my field!" Link Streamer fired a small beam of light from it's body, generating a small solar disc on Playmaker's field.

**Data Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"Once again, I shall create my ultimate circuit!" A second Link Portal appeared in front of Playmaker. "The summoning conditions are three monsters. I'll set the Data Token, Link Disciple, which is a Link 1 monster, and Link Streamer in the Link Markers!" The Data token went into the bottom-left arrowhead, Link Streamer went into the left arrowhead, and Link Disciple went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 3! Powercode Talker!" A large warrior in red armor with large shoulder pads and bracers appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on Playmaker's field.

**Powercode Talker ATK: 2300 LINK-3** ⬅️➡️↙️

"That ends my turn." Playmaker concluded.

"That's actually not a bad set-up you got there, Playmaker." Ai said, looking at his field. "With your face-down card, as well as Powercode Talker's effect, we'll be able to steamroll over anything he throws at us."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Ai." Playmaker responded. "There is never such thing as an impenetrable defense. I did what I could to prepare for what he can throw at us."

"My turn! I draw!" Percival said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I activate the Field Spell card, The Phantom Knights of Deathly Hallows!" The card showed a graveyard, with several Phantom Knights' monsters roaming it at night. At the center of the graveyard was a grave, with a symbol of a triangle containing a line and a circle in the middle. "Now all 'The Phantom Knights' monsters I control gain 200 attack and defense points! Next, I summon The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak from my hand!" An eerie-blue ghost wearing a dark-purple cloak joined Percival's field. On top of the cloak was a red cloth with drapes on either side. Behind the ghost was a metal, curved bar with four large nails in between, as well as six, small purple flames. While it didn't look like Ancient Cloak had hands, it was evident that the ghost was carrying two small scepters.

**The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak ATK: 800 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"Deathly Hallows' effect!"

**The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak ATK: 800 + 200 = 1000**

"Next, I activate the effect of Kagemusha Knight from my hand! As I Normal Summoned a Level 3 monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A black ghostly spirit with one arm, wearing bronze, copper armor and helmet appeared on Percival's field.

**Kagemusha Knight ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 3**

"I activate the effect of The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots from my hand! Since there is a 'The Phantom Knights' monster on my field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" Percival continued, as he placed the card on the blue sword-shaped blade of his Duel Disk, which resembled a rusty metallic shield. Soon, an eerie blue ghost wearing brown rags from the top down, with a skeleton necklace appeared on Percival's field, it's hands chained behind it's back. The ghost wore brown boots with grey pants, along with ragged brown elements around it's waist.

**The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots ATK: 200 DEF: 1200 LV: 3**

"My Field Spell's effect!"

**The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots ATK: 200 + 200 = 400**

"Appear! The circuit of the grave!" A Link Portal appeared in front of Percival. "The summoning conditions are two or more Dark monsters! I'll Set The Phantom of Knights of Ancient Cloak, The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots, and Kagemusha Knight in the Link Markers!" Ancient Cloak went into the bottom-left arrowhead, Silent Boots went into the bottom-right arrowhead, and Kagemusha Knight went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! I call upon the ghostly spirit resting in it's tomb to take the form of a knight once again! Link 3! The Phantom Knights of Rusty Bardiche!" A warrior wearing grey, metallic armor with red markings all over it appeared on Percival's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. He also had a long, ragged cape as well. Eerie-blue flames emitted from it's knees, waist, and shoulders as it's eyes glowed eerie-blue. It swung it's bardiche, ready for battle.

**The Phantom Knights of Rusty Bardiche ATK: 2100 LINK-3** ↙️↘️➡️

"Deathly Hallows' effect!"

**The Phantom Knights of Rusty Bardiche ATK: 2100 + 200 = 2300**

"I activate the effects of Ancient Cloak and Silent Boots from my Graveyard!" Percival continued. "By banishing Ancient Cloak, I can add one 'The Phantom Knights' card from my deck to my hand, while banishing Silent Boots lets me add one 'The Phantom Knights' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Using the effects of Ancient Cloak and Silent Boots, Percival added The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring and The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves to his hand.

"Do you think we should have-?" Ai began, but Playmaker cut him off.

"No, Ai." Playmaker answered him. "I'll wait to use it once he uses a card effect on our turn."

"I Set one card face-down." Percival said. He then turned his duel board so he could face Playmaker and declared, "Battle! The Phantom Knights of Rusty Bardiche attacks LinkSlayer! Eerie Execution!" Rusty Bardiche jumped forward and slashed LinkSlayer, destroying him and causing Playmaker to slightly wince.

**Playmaker: 4000 – 300 = 3700 LP**

"That wasn't a total loss." Ai said, as Rusty Bardiche returned to Percival's field. "We may have lost LinkSlayer, but we still got Powercode Talker. And a lot of life points too."

"You may be partially right, Ai." Playmaker said, looking at Percival's field. "But I have a feeling he's just getting started."

"I end my turn." Percival concluded. "Let's see how you respond to my cards."

_Elsewhere..._

Raguel exited the doorway, which led him to another section in Watchman's server. Pretty soon, the doorway closed behind him.

"Well, I guess there's no turning back now." Raguel said, seeing that the doorway was gone. "You ready, Herald?"

"Obviously." Herald answered Raguel. "We will get through this."

"I'm glad you're both ready. Because I have arrived," a female voice said, getting Raguel and Herald's attention as a woman stepped out of an orange gateway behind her before disappearing. She wore light green robes with yellow designs and a grey 'V' styled belt at her waist. She also wore green armored plating over her robes top down to her waist, a green jewel at the middle of her chest. The woman had short, light green hair, which ended at her chin. She wore a mask that had bird-like eyes, which covered her face, along with a small, yellow headdress.

"So I take it you're one of Watchman's allies?" Raguel asked her. "Because Playmaker and I are supposed to be dueling them, one each."

"Yes. Your theory is accurate," the woman replied. "Playmaker is currently dueling Percival at the moment in a Speed Duel. I am Demeter. And I'm here to not only duel you, but to help you solve the conflict in your heart."

"My heart?" Raguel repeated. "What are you talking about?"

"Why you duel, of course." Demeter responded. "Even after meeting Watchman, you are still at a crossroads on why you duel. On one path, you duel to obtain money, but only to help a loved one that was also affected by the Lost Incident. On the other, you duel to protect others. What happens in this duel will ultimately affect what path you walk."

"How do you-?" Suddenly, it made sense to Raguel. He then turned to Herald. "Herald, I thought you were going to send a message to Watchman about the questions we had regarding Data Material!"

"I did." Herald told him. "But I decided to let him know of the conflict inside you as well, Raguel. I did this so you could face this conflict head-on!"

"You know exactly why I'm stuck at a crossroads, Herald!" Raguel snapped back. "If I stopped doing what I'm doing, I'd be failing both Miyu and Roxy! I owe her completely after all the kindness she showed me. How am I supposed to live with myself if I simply gave up on them?"

Roxy, who was watching this on the monitors, felt her heart shatter to pieces. "Yuhiro..." she muttered. "I didn't know that's how you felt." _Perhaps it's time_, she thought, as she left the backroom and headed upstairs to her room, _that I tell him the truth_.

On the monitors, Demeter interrupted their conversation by saying, "Our duel will help you, Raguel. Whether you see it or not, this trial will forever change you."

"Herald. We'll talk about this later." Raguel said to him. Turning to Demeter, he said, "If you wish to duel, then let's get it over with!"

"As you wish."

"Duel!" both Raguel and Demeter shouted.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Demeter: 4000 LP**

"As a lady, I believe I shall go first." Demeter said, looking at her cards. "First I summon Simorgh, Bird of Beginning from my hand!" A small, light green colored bird with beady red eyes flapped onto Demeter' field. The little bird had an Egyptian necklace around its neck, horns, and a small crown on its head. There were two pieces of golden jewelry on its wings, along with two wispy feathers on each side.

**Simorgh, Bird of Beginning ATK: 0 DEF: 1600 LV: 1**

"When this card is Normal Summoned," Demeter explained, "I'm allowed to Normal Summon one 'Simorgh' monster in addition to my Normal Summon or Set. Come, Simorgh, Bird of Bringing!" This time, a larger orange colored bird wearing a feathered headdress flapped onto Demeter' field. The bird had three small earrings on each of it's wings, which connected to the chest plate it wore on it's chest. The bird also had clawed feet as well.

**Simorgh, Bird of Bringing ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LV: 2**

"When this card is Normal Summoned, I'm allowed to add one 'Simorgh' card from my deck to my hand!" A card popped out of Demeter' deck, which she added to her hand. "I activate the Field Spell card, Elborz, The Sacred Lands of Simorgh!" Soon, a massive gust of wind blew through the field before settling down. "Now all Wind Winged-Beast monsters I control gain 300 attack and defense points!"

**Simorgh, Bird of Beginning ATK: 0 + 300 = 300 DEF: 1600 + 300 = 1900**

**Simorgh, Bird of Bringing ATK: 1000 + 300 = 1300 DEF: 1000 + 300 = 1300**

"In addition, I can activate the other two effects of Elborz once per turn!" Demeter added.

"Say what?" Raguel said, who widened his eyes in surprise. This was only the first turn, and it was clear that Demeter was going all out.

"I activate the first effect of Elborz!" Demeter continued. "By revealing a Level 5 or higher Wind Winged Beast monster in my hand to you, for the rest of this turn, I'm allowed to Normal Summon Winged-Beast monsters for one less tribute!" She revealed the Level 7 Simorgh, Bird of Divinity from her hand to Raguel.

"But you already Normal Summoned twice this turn." Raguel pointed out. "There's no way you can Normal Summon a third time!"

"You shouldn't have jinxed it, Raguel." Herald said, as he face-palmed.

"Then allow me to disprove your theory." Demeter replied. "I activate the third effect of Elborz! If I control a Wind Winged-Beast monster, I'm allowed to Normal Summon a Winged Beast monster from my hand! I now Normal Summon Simorgh, Bird of Calamity from my hand!" A thinner, vulture-like bird appeared on Demeter' field. The bird had a long neck and a small beak, with a metal collar that had a small red jewel at its center. Its wings were thinner and sharper than the other birds on the field. There was also a metal halo behind its neck as well.

**Simorgh, Bird of Calamity ATK: 1500 DEF: 200 LV: 3**

"Elborz' effect!"

**Simorgh, Bird of Calamity ATK: 1500 + 300 = 1800 DEF: 200 + 300 = 500 **

"When Simorgh, Bird of Calamity is Normal Summoned, I can send one 'Simorgh' card from my deck to my Graveyard!" Demeter added. Using the effect of Simorgh, Bird of Calamity, she sent Simorgh, Lord of the Storm from her deck to her Graveyard.

"Appear! The circuit of turbulent winds!" A Link Portal appeared above her in the sky. "The summoning conditions are two or more monsters, including a Winged-Beast monster! I'll Set Simorgh, Bird of Beginning, Simorgh, Bird of Bringing, and Simorgh, Bird of Calamity in the Link Markers!" Simorgh, Bird of Beginning went into the bottom-left arrowhead, Simorgh, Bird of Bringing went into the bottom arrowhead, and Simorgh, Bird of Calamity went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The majestic bird shall display its sovereignty, and everyone witnessing it will silence themselves in awe! Link 3! Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty!" A massive green bird with a golden halo behind its back flew onto Demeter' field in the right Extra Monster Zone. The giant bird had four wings, with the front wings having golden elements, while the back wings had silver elements. It had a long, green tail, with yellow strands on it. The bird also wore a large collar broad collar around its neck, that extended down to its chest. On top of the bird's head was a crown, and at the back were three spiked feathers, along with a truffle of feathers on its upper back. Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty let out a screech upon entering the field.

**Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty ATK: 2400 LINK-3 **↙️⬇️↘️

**Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty ATK: 2400 + 300 = 2700**

"I activate the effects of Simorgh, Bird of Bringing and Simorgh, Bird of Bringing from my Graveyard!" Demeter added. "Since you have no Spell or Traps cards in your Spell & Trap card zones, I can Special Summon both these monsters from my Graveyard to my field in defense position. However, they're banished when they leave the field, and I also can only Special Summon Winged-Beast monsters for the rest of the turn. Now, fly back to the field!" Soon, Simorgh, Bird of Beginning and Simorgh, Bird of Bringing reappeared on Demeter' field in two of the Main Monster Zones Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty pointed to, as the newly Special Summoned birds took defensive positions.

**Simorgh, Bird of Beginning ATK: 0 DEF: 1600 LV: 1**

**Simorgh, Bird of Bringing ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LV: 2**

**Simorgh, Bird of Beginning ATK: 0 + 300 = 300 DEF: 1600 + 300 = 1900**

**Simorgh, Bird of Bringing ATK: 1000 + 300 = 1300 DEF: 1000 + 300 = 1300**

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Demeter concluded. "At this point, the effect of Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty activates. It lets me Special Summon one Winged Beast monster from my hand or deck, whose level is equal to or less than the total number of unused Spell & Trap card zones on the field." A card popped out of her deck, which she took out. "I Special Summon Dark Simorgh from my deck!" Soon, a large black-feathered bird with a silver crown on its head and a silver halo behind it flew onto Demeter' field in the third Main Monster Zone Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty was pointing to. The large bird a small tail, with silver strands extending out of its back. On the back of Dark Simorgh's wings were small pieces of jewelry.

**Dark Simorgh ATK: 2700 DEF: 1000 LV: 7**

**Dark Simorgh ATK: 2700 + 300 = 3000 DEF: 1000 + 300 = 1300**

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said, drawing the top card of his deck. He then realized something. "Wait a minute! Your Dark Simorgh is a Dark attributed Winged-Beast monster. Why did it get an attack and defense boost when your Field Spell only gives it to Wind Winged-Beast monsters?"

"It is because Dark Simorgh is also a Wind attributed Winged-Beast monster while its on the field." Demeter calmly answered. "And in case you were planning on Setting any Spell or Trap cards, Dark Simorgh's effect prevents you from doing so."

"Seriously?" Raguel said, looking at his hand. This was not good at all.

"I wonder how you're going to overcome this obstacle, Raguel." Herald said, as he looked at Demeter' field. "She not only Normal Summoned monsters three times on her first turn, but she also Link Summoned a strong Link 3 monster before Special Summoning two of her monsters from her Graveyard, as well as one from her deck."

"There's always a weakness to every strategy, Herald." Raguel told him. "And I'm going to exploit it." Shifting his focus to the duel, he said, "I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Lead from my hand! This card lets me Special Summon a Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my hand. I Special Summon Cyreath Barbarian from my hand!" A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined his field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal soon formed above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are one 'Cyreath' monster! I'll Set Cyreath Barbarian in the Link Markers!" Barbarian went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, appeared on Raguel's field, only in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Barbarian's effect activates!" Raguel continued. "Since it was sent to the Graveyard for a Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster that used this card as a Link Material gains 500 attack points!"

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 + 500 = 1500**

"Scorpius' effect! Once per turn, if I control no monsters in my Main Monster Zones, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Return, Cyreath Barbarian!" Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Barbarian grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Appear, for a second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A second Link Portal appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll Set Cyreath Scorpius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Barbarian in the Link Markers!" Scorpius went into the top arrowhead, while Barbarian went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Ride into battle! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the right Extra Monster Zone. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"Barbarian's effect!"

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 + 500 = 2500**

"I summon Cyreath Icarus!" Raguel said, placing the card onto his Duel Disk, as an angelic warrior with a white tunic and brown sandals, carrying a modified bow flew onto his field.

**Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LVL: 3**

"Icarus' effect! When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Come back, Cyreath Barbarian!" The man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache soon returned to the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Appear, for a third time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A third Link Portal appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Chariot Commander, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Barbarian in the Link Markers!" Chariot Commander split into two tornadoes, which went into the left and right arrowheads, while Barbarian went into the top arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Heed the captain's call! Link 3! Cyreath Galactic Squid!" A red-skinned octopus with a white underbelly and four tentacles was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field. The squid had black eyes flashing yellow dots, and multiple rows of teeth within its maw.

**Cyreath Galactic Squid ATK: 2300 LINK-3** ⬅️➡️⬆️

"Barbarian's effect activates for the third time!"

**Cyreath Galactic Squid ATK: 2300 + 500 = 2800**

"Galactic Squid's effect!" Raguel continued. "When it's Link Summoned, I can target two Main Monster Zones on your side of the field, and you can't use them as long as this card is on the field! I choose your two remaining Main Monster Zones! Ink Burst!" Galactic Squid fired two blasts of ink at those zones, turning them black and preventing Demeter from using them.

"I activate the Spell card, Elixir of the Gods!" The card showed Cyreath Chariot Commander holding a blue bottle and opening it, misty-blue smoke sizzling out of it. "By tributing one 'Cyreath' monster on my field, I can draw two cards. However, I can't attack the turn I activate this effect. For this effect, I tribute Cyreath Icarus!" Icarus vanished into yellow particles as Raguel drew the top two cards of his deck.

"I also activate the second effect of Galactic Squid! Since I control no other monsters, I can tribute this card to shuffle all other cards on the field back into their owner's decks! Bright Overload!" Galactic Squid's black eyes became very bright before firing a massive beam of light from its mouth at every card on Demeter's field, turning every one of them into yellow particles as they returned to Demeter's deck. Galactic Squid then turned to yellow particles afterwards.

"The effects of Simorgh, Bird of Beginning and Simorgh, Bird of Bringing both activate!" Demeter said. "As they both left the field, they're banished."

"I bet you weren't expecting me to reset the field, weren't you?" Raguel asked her.

"No, I did not." Demeter admitted. "However, know that this is a minor setback. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"Regardless, without Dark Simorgh, I am free to Set cards face-down again." Raguel told her. "I therefore Set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"Not bad, Raguel." Herald said to him. "At the cost of not attacking, you were able to clear her entire field."

"It doesn't change how I feel about this duel though, Herald." Raguel replied. _I'm going to show Demeter that I am not conflicted_, he thought. _No matter how strong she is, I won't lose!_ Soon, another thought popped into his head. _I wonder how Playmaker is doing at his trial_.

_At Playmaker's duel..._

"My turn! I draw!" Playmaker said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I summon Cyberse Gadget from my hand!" A white, blue, and red machine with a tablet on its left arm appeared on Playmaker's field. The machine had wires attaching from the back of its head to its back.

**Cyberse Gadget ATK: 1400 DEF: 300 LV: 3**

"Now I will create my ultimate circuit!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of Playmaker. "The summoning conditions are one Level 4 or lower Cyberse monster! I'll Set Cyberse Gadget in the Link Markers!" Cyberse Gadget went into the top arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Link Devotee!" A dark blue monster with a circle around it was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Powercode Talker was pointing to.

**Link Devotee ATK: 500 LINK-1** ⬆️

"Cyberse Gadget's effect!" Playmaker continued. "Since it was sent from the field to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Gadget token to my field!" A small, white drone with two laser cannons and an optical eye appeared on Playmaker's field.

**Gadget Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 2**

"And now I shall create my ultimate circuit once again!" A second Link Portal appeared ahead of Playmaker. "The summoning conditions are two Cyberse monsters! I'll Set Link Devotee, which is a Link 1 monster, and the Gadget token in the Link Markers!" Link Devotee went into the left arrowhead, while the Gadget token went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Link Restorer!" A white drone with a red optic eye and two jets appeared as it was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Powercode Talker was pointing to. On its back were two tanks, each one containing purple fluid.

**Link Restorer ATK: 1000 LINK-2** ⬅️➡️

"I activate the effect of Powercode Talker! Once per turn, I can target one monster on the field and negate its effects until the end of the turn! I target The Phantom Knights of Rusty Bardiche! Withering Wire!" A clawed wire was released out of Powercode Talker's right gauntlet, as he swung it towards Rusty Bardiche, latching onto the ghostly knight and negating its effects.

"Battle!" Playmaker declared. "Powercode Talker attacks The Phantom Knights of Rusty Bardiche! I activate Powercode Talker's second effect! Since it's battling your monster, I can tribute one monster it's pointing to, and if I do, it's attack points become doubled until the end of the turn!"

"I see..." was all Percival said, intrigued at what Playmaker was doing.

"I tribute Link Restorer to double Powercode Talker's attack points!" Playmaker declared, as Link Restorer turned into yellow particles and a red aura enveloped Powercode Talker.

**Powercode Talker ATK: 2300 X 2 = 4600**

"The effect of Link Restorer activates!" Playmaker continued. "As it left the field, I gain 1000 life points!" A purple aura briefly surrounded Playmaker.

**Playmaker: 3700 + 1000 = 4700 LP**

"Attack, Powercode Talker! Power Smash!" Powercode Talker charged forward at Rusty Bardiche, his right fist generating energy in the process. But...

"I activate my face-down Trap card, The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring!" Percival suddenly said. "When this card is activated-!"

"I don't think so!" Playmaker interrupted. "Counter Trap, activate! Cynet Conflict! When a Spell, Trap, or monster effect is activated while I control a 'Code Talker' monster, I can negate the activation and banish it! In addition, you cannot activate cards with the same original name as that card for the rest of this turn!"

"What?" Percival said, shocked as The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring was shut down before exploding into yellow particles.

"Resume your attack, Powercode Talker!" Playmaker said, as Powercode Talker released the clawed wire and slashed Rusty Bardiche, the clawed wire returning to his right gauntlet before the ghostly knight exploded,

**Percival: 4000 – 2300 = 1700 LP**

"Yeah!" Ai said, raising his right fist in the air. "In your face! Now we're in the lead!"

"Nice one, Yusaku!" Kusanagi said, as he watched the monitors at Café Nagi. "You're halfway to winning the duel, man!"

"Thank you, Kusanagi." Playmaker replied.

"Hey! What about me?" Ai asked Playmaker. "Aren't you going to thank me? Huh? Huh?"

"I don't think I recall you commenting on my recent moves, Ai." Playmaker coldly replied, shocking Ai. Going back to the duel, he said to Percival, "I end my turn. Which means Powercode Talker's attack points go back to normal."

**Powercode Talker ATK: 4600 / 2 = 2300**

"My turn! I draw!" Percival said. He slowed his duel board down so he could be parallel with Playmaker. "An impressive display, Playmaker. I didn't expect you to cut my life points in half with a single attack."

"Then you should know that I planned to go all out the moment this duel began." Playmaker told him. "I will get to Watchman and obtain the answers I seek, even if it means going through you first."

"A bold declaration, Playmaker." Percival replied. He then sped up slightly on his duel board. "But tell me: Why do you fight?"

"He's asking us why we're fighting the Hanoi?" Ai asked Playmaker. "That answer's easy! It's to protect my behind from getting scrambled!"

Playmaker ignored Ai as he responded to Percival. "I fight to get justice on the Hanoi for everyone who's suffered during the Lost Incident. I also fight to look for why we all had to suffer in the first place, as well as to rescue the one who helped me all those years ago."

"And then what?"

"Huh?" Playmaker said, caught off guard by Percival's response. He never thought about that before.

"You heard me. What do you plan on doing after accomplishing your mission? Will you continue protecting LINK VRAINS? Will you finally move on from the shackles of the past? Will you finally be happy?"

Playmaker could not provide an answer to Percival's questions.

"It is as I thought. Ever since those dreadful days during the Lost Incident, you have been chained to the past." Percival mused.

"What would you know of them?" Playmaker demanded.

"It's because I was there during the Lost Incident." Percival stated, causing Playmaker's eyes to widen.

"What? What do you mean? Answer me, Percival!" Playmaker said, his eyes narrowed in fury.

"I was a research intern during the days of the Lost Incident." Percival answered him, recalling what happened ten years ago. "At the time, I thought I was helping mankind achieve a breakthrough that would change everything if it succeeded."

"Were you aware of the suffering we endured?" Playmaker furiously muttered under his breath. "Were you aware that _children_ were being tortured, Percival?"

"No." Percival admitted. "And by the time I found out, it was too late. I couldn't do anything about it. Nor could I save the one that was there during those awful days."

Playmaker raised an eyebrow to Percival's confession. He too knew someone that was there during the Lost Incident? But who?

"But Watchman found me. He saw that I wanted to set things right." Percival continued. "And so I accepted his offer. In exchange for helping him against the 'Crisis', he would help me set things right for the child that meant so much to me."

Kusanagi crossed his arms and frowned as he listened to Percival's confession on the monitors. _So this guy was a research intern during the Lost Incident_, he thought. If he had to be honest, he had mixed feelings. He couldn't blame Percival fully for not being aware that children were being tortured. But he had to be held accountable for his role, however small, as a research intern. What surprised Kusanagi, though, was that someone dear to Percival was one of the kidnapped children there with Yusaku and Yuhiro. Yet who could it be?

On the monitors, Playmaker said to Percival, "Just because you had a smaller position on the research team doesn't mean you're free from responsibility, Percival." He pointed his finger at him. "When I defeat you, you'll answer whatever questions you can before directing me to Watchman."

"We'll see." Percival replied. "Let the duel resume! I summon The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves from my hand!" An eerie-blue ghost wearing metallic armor with massive hands appeared on Percival's field. Instead of legs, the ghost had a long, wispy ghost tail extending from the waist down.

**The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves ATK: 1000 DEF: 500 LV: 3**

"My Field Spell's effect activates!"

**The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves ATK: 1000 + 200 = 1200 DEF: 500 + 200 = 700**

"I activate the effect of The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots from my hand! Since there is a 'The Phantom Knights' monster on my field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A second copy of Silent Boots appeared on Percival's field beside Ragged Gloves.

**The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots ATK: 200 DEF: 1200 LV: 3**

**The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots ATK: 200 + 200 = 400 DEF: 1200 + 200 = 1400**

"Hey, Playmaker. He has two Level 3 monsters." Ai pointed out to him.

"Which can only mean one thing, Ai..." Playmaker replied.

"Appear! The network of shadows!" Percival declared, as he raised his left hand into the air, a galaxy portal appearing in the sky above both duelists. "The summoning conditions are two Level 3 monsters! I overlay the Level 3 The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots and The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves!" Both monsters turned into eerie-blue streams of energy as they entered the portal, where a pillar of light soon erupted from the center.

"Xyz Summon! Souls of knights who fell on the battlefield! Revive here and now, and become the light that breaks the darkness! Rank 3! The Phantom Knights of Break Sword!" A headless armored knight riding an armored, metallic horse with blue eyes was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Percival's field. The knight carried a massive sword in its right hand, and blue eerie-blue flames emitted from where its head should have been, as well as from its shoulders and arms.

**The Phantom Knights of Break Sword ATK: 2000 DEF: 1000 RNK: 3 OU: 2**

"I activate the effect of Ragged Gloves from my GY!" Percival continued. "Since a Dark Xyz monster was Xyz Summoned using it as an Overlay Unit, it gains 1000 attack points!" A dark aura surrounded both rider and horse, powering both of them up.

**The Phantom Knights of Break Sword ATK: 2000 + 1000 = 3000**

"I also activate the first and third effects of Deathly Hallows!"

"First and third effects?" Ai repeated. "You mean your Field Spell has three effects?" Playmaker's eyes widened upon hearing that.

"Correct, Dark Ignis." Percival answered Ai. "You both know the first effect. But since I Xyz Summoned a Dark Xyz monster, I can activate Deathly Hallows' third effect! All Dark monsters on my side of the field gain 400 attack points until the end of the turn! And in addition, the first effect of Deathly Hallows gives Break Sword 200 more attack points!"

**The Phantom Knights of Break Sword ATK: 3000 + 400 + 200 = 3600 DEF: 1000 + 200 = 1200**

"Now I activate Break Sword's effect! By detaching one Overlay Unit, I can target one card on both sides of the field and destroy them!" One of the lights behind Break Sword went into its sword.

**The Phantom Knights of Break Sword OU: 2 – 1 = 1**

"I target Break Sword and your Powercode Talker! Eerie Charge!" Break Sword and Powercode Talker charged at each other, intent on eliminating the other. Powercode Talker slashed Break Sword using his clawed wire, while Break Sword slashed Powercode Talker using its massive sword, resulting in destruction for both monsters.

"Hey! I hope that was worth it! Because you lost one of your strongest monsters!" Ai said.

"Percival must have something up his sleeve..." Playmaker muttered.

"Huh?"

"Think about it, Ai. There's only one reason why he would destroy his own monster." Playmaker told Ai. "For it's ability."

"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Ai stated.

"No. No you did not." Playmaker replied.

"Fine, you're right." Ai admitted. "I wasn't thinking of that at all."

"You truly are observant, Playmaker." Percival praised him. "No wonder a duelist of your caliber is able to stand against the Hanoi and not falter!" He then thrusted his right hand in front of him. "I activate Break Sword's final effect! Since it was destroyed, I can target two 'The Phantom Knights' monsters in my Graveyard and Special Summon them back to my field! Return, Ragged Gloves and Silent Boots!" At Percival's command, Ragged Gloves and Silent Boots reappeared on his field.

**The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves ATK: 1000 DEF: 500 LV: 3**

**The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots ATK: 200 DEF: 1200 LV: 3**

**The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves ATK: 1000 + 200 = 1200 DEF: 500 + 200 = 700**

**The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots ATK: 200 + 200 = 400 DEF: 1200 + 200 = 1400**

"In addition, I can increase both my monsters levels by 1!" Percival added.

**The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves LV: 3 + 1 = 4**

**The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots LV: 3 + 1 = 4**

"Uh, Playmaker." Ai said. "I think he's about to summon his boss monster!"

"Tch." Playmaker agreed with Ai. Percival had everything set up. For another Xyz Summon.

"Appear, for a second time! The network of shadows!" Percival declared, as he raised his left hand into the air, a galaxy portal appearing in the sky above both duelists. "The summoning conditions are two Level 4 monsters! I overlay the Level 4 The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots and The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves!" Both monsters turned into eerie-blue streams of energy as they entered the portal, where a pillar of light soon erupted from the center.

"Xyz Summon! This dragon is like me, Playmaker. Cloaked in shadows and relentless in his objective, only his objective is to destroy! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!" A purple dragon with a long neck that had a spiked mandible on it, and a long tail with two spikes on both sides flew onto Percival's field in the right Extra Monster Zone and roared at Playmaker. Metallic armor was on Dark Rebellion's arms, wings, and legs. There were also two big purple orbs attached to the beginning of the dragon's wings, as well as smaller purple orbs on the dragon's wings. Dark Rebellion had yellow eyes, and metal spikes that were attached to his mandible and went outward from his head.

**Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 RNK: 4 OU: 2**

"Once again, Ragged Gloves' effect! Since a Dark Xyz monster was Xyz Summoned using it as an Overlay Unit, it gains 1000 attack points!" A dark aura surrounded Dark Rebellion, powering the dragon up.

**Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon ATK: 2500 + 1000 = 3500 **

"The third effect of Deathly Hallows also activates!" Percival continued. "Since I Xyz Summoned a Dark Xyz monster, all Dark monsters on my side of the field gain 400 attack points until the end of the turn!" Dark Rebellion roared once again as he powered up.

**Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon ATK: 3500 + 400 = 3900**

"I activate the second effect of Deathly Hallows! Once per turn, I can target one 'The Phantom Knights' Spell or Trap card in my Graveyard and Set it in my Spell & Trap card zone. However, I cannot activate it this turn!" Using the second effect of Deathly Hallows, Percival targeted The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring in his Graveyard and Set it in his Spell & Trap card zone.

"I Set another card face-down." Percival then turned his duel board to face Playmaker and declared, "Battle! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon attacks you directly! Mauling Mandible Charge!" Dark Rebellion's wings sparked as he turned around and flew toward Playmaker, his tusks glowing in the process. The dragon hit Playmaker with so much force that he was sent flying off his duel board.

**Playmaker: 4700 – 3900 = 800 LP **

"Yusaku!" Kusanagi said, as he saw Playmaker fall from his duel board. He started typing on the digital keyboard. "Hold on, buddy. I think I got something to help you out."

As Playmaker fell, he noticed he got a notification from Kusanagi. Seeing that it can help him out of the jam, he activated it, teleporting him from where he was right back to his duel board on the data stream. "Thanks for the save, Kusanagi."

"Roxy gave me that program you know," Kusanagi told him. "Why don't you thank her once you meet her in person?"

"I will do that, Kusanagi." Playmaker noted.

"Whew!" Ai said. "At least we're not going splat."

"I end my turn." Percival concluded. "Which means the boost provided from Deathly Hallows ends."

**Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon ATK: 3900 – 400 = 3500**

"You're only at 100 life points, Playmaker," Percival told him, "and on my next turn, this duel is over!"

"You may be right." Playmaker agreed with him. "But we won't know for sure until every card has been played!"

"Say Playmaker." Ai said, getting Playmaker's attention. "I'm curious as to how Raguel and Herald are doing with their trial."

"I haven't thought of that until now, Ai." Playmaker responded. "Let's hope that the both of them are okay."

_At Raguel's duel..._

"My turn! I draw!" Demeter said, drawing the top card of her deck. _Raguel managed to reset the field and Set two cards face-down_, she thought. _If I play this right, I should be able to defeat him on my next turn_. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Burial from a Different Dimension from my hand! This card lets me target up to three banished monsters in my Banished Zone and return them to my Graveyard! I target Simorgh, Bird of Beginning and Simorgh, Bird of Bringing in my Banished Zone with this card's effect!" Soon, the targeted cards reappeared in Demeter's Graveyard.

"Next, I activate the Spell card, Pot of Desires! By banishing ten cards from the top of my deck face-down, I get to draw two cards from the top of my deck!" Raguel and Herald's eyes widened in surprise as the top ten cards of Demeter's deck vanished into yellow particles. She then drew the top two cards of her deck.

"You're willing to banish a quarter of your deck just to draw two cards?" Raguel asked Demeter, who nodded in response.

"Sometimes, to execute a plan, you've got to take a risk." Demeter told him. "But how would you know, when you can't take a risk with your situation?"

"A risk?" Raguel repeated. "You have no idea of the dilemma I'm facing, do you Demeter? NO IDEA AT ALL!"

"On the contrary, I do." Demeter instantly replied. "And I'll show you. I activate the Spell card, Simorgh Repulsion! By discarding a Winged-Beast monster from my hand, I can return all Spell and Trap cards on your field right back to your hand!"

"A card that can return all Spell and Trap cards for a simple discard..." Herald muttered, as Raguel's face-down cards returned to his hand. "This is not good at all, Raguel."

"It definitely isn't." Raguel agreed with Herald. With his Spell and Trap cards gone, he was defenseless!

"I activate the effects of Simorgh, Bird of Beginning, Simorgh, Bird of Bringing, and Simorgh, Bird of Calamity from my Graveyard!" Demeter said. "Since you control no cards in your Spell & Trap card zones, I can Special Summon all three monsters from my Graveyard to my field in defense position! However, they're banished when they leave the field, and I also can only Special Summon Winged-Beast monsters for the rest of the turn. Now, fly back to the field once more!" At her command, the three birds from before reappeared on her field, guarding themselves using their wings.

**Simorgh, Bird of Beginning ATK: 0 DEF: 1600 LV: 1**

**Simorgh, Bird of Bringing ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LV: 2**

**Simorgh, Bird of Calamity ATK: 1500 DEF: 200 LV: 3**

"Appear! The circuit of turbulent winds!" A Link Portal appeared above her in the sky. "The summoning conditions are two or more monsters, including a Winged-Beast monster! I'll Set Simorgh, Bird of Beginning, Simorgh, Bird of Bringing, and Simorgh, Bird of Calamity in the Link Markers!" Simorgh, Bird of Beginning went into the bottom-left arrowhead, Simorgh, Bird of Bringing went into the bottom arrowhead, and Simorgh, Bird of Calamity went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The majestic bird shall display its sovereignty, and everyone witnessing it will silence themselves in awe! Link 3! Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty!" For a second time, Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Demeter's field.

**Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty ATK: 2400 LINK-3 **↙️⬇️↘️

"The effects of Simorgh, Bird of Beginning, Simorgh, Bird of Bringing and Simorgh, Bird of Calamity now activate!" Demeter continued. "As all three left the field, they're banished."

She thrusted out her right hand. "Battle! Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty attacks you directly, Raguel! Blast Storm!" Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty gathered green energy in its mouth before firing it at Raguel, causing him to scream as he fell off the ground and landed on his back.

**Raguel: 4000 – 2400 = 1600 LP**

Roxy, who got back from the upper floors of Café Matsuo a while ago, covered her mouth with her hands as she saw Raguel get blasted from Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty's attack. "Yuhiro. Can you hear me? Are you there?"

"Yeah, I hear you, Roxy." Raguel responded, causing her to breathe a sigh of relief as he slowly stood up. "Listen, this really isn't a great time right now."

"It's because of what's troubling you, isn't it?" Roxy surmised, catching Raguel off guard. "I heard everything, Yuhiro. Until now, I didn't know just how much Miyu and I meant to you."

"It's the truth." Raguel admitted to Roxy. "It's the reason why I accept jobs on the black market. It's the reason that keeps me going even against impossible odds. And if I give up now-."

"But you won't!" Roxy told him in a firm voice. "You're not giving up, you hear me! Just as you've always done before, you're going to get through this duel and win! And when you come home, we'll talk." She then continued in a kinder voice. "I'm with you to the end of the line, Yuhiro. Never forget that."

"Alright." Raguel smiled to himself. "Thank you, Roxy. For the motivation." He then directed his attention to Demeter. "I'm ready to continue with the duel."

"Very well." Demeter replied. "I end my turn. And just like before, the effect of Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty activates. It lets me Special Summon one Winged Beast monster from my hand or deck, whose level is equal to or less than the total number of unused Spell & Trap card zones on the field." A card popped out of her deck, which she took out. "I Special Summon Simorgh of Darkness from my deck!" A large black-feathered bird with a taller silver crown on its head and a larger silver halo behind it flew onto Demeter's field in one of the Main Monster Zones Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty was pointing to. Just like Dark Simorgh, the bird had a small, black tail, with silver strands extending out of its back. Pieces of silver jewelry were on its chest and neck. Its wings also had silver spikes, as well as purple jewels.

**Simorgh of Darkness ATK: 2900 DEF: 2000 LV: 8**

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel declared, drawing the top card of his deck.

"Anything good, Raguel?" Herald asked him.

"Something like that." Raguel replied. "I summon Cyreath Witch from my hand!" A sorceress with short purple hair, glowing pink eyes and carrying a staff with a skull on it joined Raguel's field. She wore a raggedy cape and skirt.

**Cyreath Witch ATK: 1200 DEF: 0 LV: 4**

"Witch's effect! When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to my field equal to the number of cards in my hand! Since I have four cards in my hand, I can Special Summon four 'Cyreath Skeleton' tokens to my field!" Witch raised her staff into the air, making the skull on top of it glow purple. Soon, four small skeletons carrying short swords were raised from the dead, appearing on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 1**

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 1**

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 1**

**Cyreath Skeleton Token ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 1**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above him in the sky. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll Set Cyreath Witch and the two Cyreath Skeleton tokens in the Link Markers!" Witch went into the top arrowhead, while the Cyreath Skeleton tokens went into the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Rise and protect the innocent from evil! Link 3! Cyreath Nemean Lion!" A white lion with a black mane emerged from the Link Portal and roared as it went onto the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field. On the lion's face was a red and gold mask, with purple spiked fins on either side. The lion also wore red and golden armor on its back, underbelly, shoulders, and legs.

**Cyreath Nemean Lion ATK: 2500 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

"I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Ascension!" Raguel continued. "I can target one Link Monster I control and Special Summon 'Cyreath' monsters from my Graveyard to Main Monster Zones that Link Monster points to, in exchange for negating their effects! I target Cyreath Nemean Lion, and using this card, I'll bring back Cyreath Barbarian and Cyreath Icarus!" Barbarian and Icarus returned to Raguel's field in the two Main Monster Zones Nemean Lion was pointing to.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

**Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LVL: 3**

"Nemean Lion's effect! When a monster is summoned to a zone it points to, I can target a card you control and shuffle it into your deck! By doing so, my monster gains 300 attack points until the end of my turn!"

"You summoned a monster to each Main Monster Zone Nemean Lion is pointing to, Raguel" Herald pointed out to him.

"That means I can target Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty and Simorgh of Darkness on your field, Demeter!" Raguel told her. "Prideful Roar!" Nemean Lion roared at both birds, but Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty spread out its wings and screeched, creating a translucent green barrier to protect itself and Simorgh of Darkness. As a result, Nemean Lion's strength did not increase.

"What happened?" Raguel demanded. "Why didn't your monsters go back to your deck and Extra Deck?"

"It's because of Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty's effect." Demeter calmly answered. "You cannot target it or any Winged-Beast monsters it points to with card effects. Therefore, your Nemean Lion does not gain attack points because no cards were shuffled into the deck."

"So that's why she summoned her birds back to her field in defense position on the first turn!" Herald realized. "She must have expected us to target her monsters with card effects."

"But we can destroy them through battle." Raguel replied to Herald. Thrusting his right hand to the sky, he said, "Appear, for a second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A second Link Portal appeared in the sky above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I'll Set Cyreath Nemean Lion, which is a Link 3 monster, and Cyreath Icarus into the Link Markers!" Nemean Lion split into three tornadoes of energy as they entered the left, right, and top arrowheads, while Icarus went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The Embodiment of Truth is given to mankind! Link 4! Turboblaze Dragon!" A white-color bipedal dragon with blue irises and black pupils, as well as a long and slender neck emerged from the Link Portal to the right Extra Monster Zone as he roared upon appearing on Raguel's field. He had a long, voluminous wispy mane streaming out from the upper side of his snout and outwards from his head, with two protrusions resembling ears on the top of the mane. His arms were slender and arm-like with a wing-like appearance and four fingers on his claws. He had a feathered chest, with long feather-like protrusions jutting out of his thighs. On his feet were large grey claws, three at the front and one positioned at the back to resemble high heels. He also had a jet engine-like tail, with two large bands similar to the front and ribbon like extensions.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 LINK-4 **⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️

"So you've summoned your strongest monster..." Demeter muttered, as she looked at Turboblaze.

"I activate Turboblaze Dragon's first effect!" Raguel said. "When it's Link Summoned, the effects of all monsters you control are negated! Heat Veil!" The jet engine-like tail that Turboblaze had soon began to charge up.

"Take this!" Turboblaze roared before unleashing waves of volcanic energy at Simorgh of Darkness and Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty, covering them in scorch marks.

"Excellent job, Turboblaze!" Herald cheered.

"Are you ready, Raguel?" Turboblaze asked him.

"Just one more card." Raguel told him. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Link Drain from my hand! I can target one Link Monster you control and reduce its attack points to zero while giving those attack points to a Link Monster I control. However, these changes last until the End Phase. I target Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty, and reduce its attack points to zero so my Turboblaze gains its 2400 attack points!"

"And with Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty's effects negated," Herald added, "there's nothing you can do to stop Link Drain."

"I didn't... expect this," was all Demeter could say, as Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty's strength was transferred to Turboblaze, powering him up.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 + 2400 = 5400**

**Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty ATK: 2400 – 2400 = 0**

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Turboblaze Dragon attacks Simorgh of Darkness! Desolation Flare!" The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze flew up into the air and charged up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at Simorgh of Darkness, which was consumed by the ball of fire.

"Turboblaze's additional effect! If this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you take damage equal to the destroyed monsters attack points!"

"And so you say..." Demeter agreed with him, as she was sent flying off the ground and landing on her back, accepting her loss.

**Demeter: 4000 – 2500 – 2900 = 0**

"Thank you, Turboblaze." Raguel said to the dragon, which turned around and landed to where he was. Turboblaze then lowered his head to Raguel, letting him pet his head before returning to Raguel's deck.

Suddenly, Raguel noticed Demeter's mask on the ground. He went over and picked it up. "Excuse me, Demeter? I believe this belongs to you."

Demeter, who looked at Raguel with kind, motherly-brown eyes, stood up and took the mask before putting it on her face again. "Thank you, Raguel. I didn't realize it fell off as our duel concluded. I do hope I helped you with your situation."

"I think you may have, Demeter." Raguel admitted.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Raguel." Watchman said, as he exited from an orange gateway. "Does this mean you've finally chosen a path?"

"I think so, Watchman." Raguel answered him. "The right one, too." He gathered his thoughts before continuing. "You know, until today, I never realized I needed that push regarding my conflict. If it weren't for Herald, and Roxy, I don't think I would have been able to acknowledge and address it in the first place."

"Remember that you're not alone in this fight, Raguel." Demeter gently reminded him, as Watchman walked to where she was. "We are all working together towards a common goal, after all."

A genuine smile appeared on Raguel's mouth. "Yeah. I guess I forgot that." He turned his head to Watchman. "Watchman. I have a request I hope you can look into."

"Name it." Watchman replied.

"See if there's a way to wake Miyu up from her coma." Raguel requested. "It would mean a lot not just to Roxy, but to me as well."

"As long as you help me, I will help you." Watchman said.

"Thank you." He then turned away from Watchman and Demeter. "See you two later." He then logged out of Watchman's server.

"Thank you, Demeter." Watchman said to Demeter, who turned her head to face him. "The duel helped him find his true self and grow as a good man."

"I'm happy to help, Watchman." Demeter replied. "But these children. Raguel, Miyu, Playmaker, and the others. They deserve to know the truth, don't they?"

"Once the time is right, I will tell them myself." Watchman answered her. Suddenly, his eyes started glowing orange.

"What is it?" Demeter asked, concerned for Watchman.

"I sense that the duel between Percival and Playmaker is about to come to an end." Watchman replied, as he disappeared into orange particles.

_I hope you know what you're doing, Watchman, _Demeter thought. _Because at some point, we have to tell them what we know about Project VIII_. She then logged out of Watchman's server afterwards.

_At Playmaker's duel..._

"My turn! I draw!" Playmaker declared, drawing the top card of his deck.

"Hey, Playmaker!" Ai said, getting his attention. "There's a Data Storm coming our way! You ready to do this?"

"Yes." Playmaker answered Ai, as he increased his speed on his duel board to enter it, passing Percival in the process. He yelled as he reached into the data stream. Shadows showing various monsters appeared around him as blue energy gathered around him.

In his Duel Disk, Ai's gaze sharpened. "Seize the wind, Playmaker!" Playmaker took his hand out of the data stream, holding a shining card.

"I activate my Skill, Storm Access!" The shadow of a male, humanoid monster wearing futuristic clothing and carrying a diamond-bladed sword appeared and posed. Playmaker then shot out of the tornado and landed right back on the data stream, in front of Percival.

"So you've used your Skill." Percival said. "Let's see if the monster you've got will stand against my Dark Rebellion."

"You're about to find out." Playmaker replied. "I activate the effect of Cyberse Randomizer from my hand! By banishing a Link Monster from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon this card to my field, and if I do, I can place 'Bet' counters on it equal to its Link Rating. I banish Link Restorer from my Graveyard to Special Summon this card from my hand to my field!" A white robot wearing a purple business suit and pants with an actual dice for a head appeared on Playmaker's field.

**Cyberse Randomizer ATK: 600 DEF: 600 LV: 6**

"And since Honeybot's Link Rating is two, Cyberse Randomizer gains two 'Bet' counters!" Playmaker added, as two sides of Randomizer's head glowed purple.

**Cyberse Randomizer BC: 0 + 2 = 2**

"I activate the effect of Randomizer! Once per turn, by removing one 'Bet' counter, I can roll a dice, and depending on the result, I get to draw an amount of cards from the top of my deck." One side of Randomizer's head stopped glowing.

**Cyberse Randomizer BC: 2 – 1 = 1**

"What Playmaker's saying is this." Ai further explained. "If we get a one or two, we can draw one card. If we get a three or four, we can draw two cards. But if we get a five or six, it's a TRIPLE DRAW FOR US BABY!"

"You're risking the rest of your turn on a gamble?" Percival asked Playmaker.

"It may look like I'm taking a risk." Playmaker admitted. "But if my deck can help me defeat Revolver, then it will help me defeat you!"

Percival was surprised by this. When exactly did Playmaker defeat Revolver in a duel? Hearing this gave him hope. That the Hanoi can be stopped.

"Go, Dice Roll!" Playmaker declared, as Randomizer _literally_ picked up its head and threw it into the air, landing on the duel field and rolling in the process.

"Five or Six, please, Five or Six, please..." Ai pleaded.

Randomizer's head then landed on a five, causing Playmaker to smirk at the result.

"Woohoo!" Ai cheered. "It's a triple draw for us, baby!" Playmaker couldn't help but smile at Ai's happiness as he drew the top three cards of his deck.

"I activate the Spell card, Link Reborn! I can target one Link Monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it, but it cannot attack for the rest of this turn! Return to the field, Link Disciple!" The red and black machine from earlier reappeared in the Main Monster Zone on Playmaker's field.

**Link Disciple ATK: 500 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Now I summon Cyberse Wizard from my hand!" A young man with green hair in black and white robes appeared, carrying a staff.

**Cyberse Wizard ATK: 1800 DEF: 800 LV: 4**

"I activate Cyberse Wizard's effect!" Playmaker continued. "Once per turn, I can change one monster on your field from attack to defense position, and if I do this, my monsters cannot attack for the rest of this turn, except to attack the targeted monster. In exchange, however, any Cyberse monster that attacks a defense position monster will be able to inflict piercing battle damage! I change your Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon to defense position! Cyberse Algorithm!" Cyberse Wizard pointed his staff at Dark Rebellion, which glowed blue as a blast of energy came out of it, causing the dragon to change positions.

"What? Why would you do that?" Ai asked Playmaker.

"So I can do this." Playmaker replied. He then thrusted out his right hand in front of him as he said, "Now I shall create my ultimate circuit for the final time!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two or more monsters! I'll Set Cyberse Wizard, Cyberse Randomizer, and Link Disciple, which is a Link 1 monster into the Link Markers!" Cyberse Wizard went into the bottom arrowhead, Cyberse Randomizer went into the left arrowhead, and Link Disciple went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Technology and magic join forces to bring out the ultimate warrior! Link 3! Cyberse Enchanter!" The young man with green hair from before returned to Playmaker's field, only this time, he was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone. His black and white robes were now updated with technological elements, which was evident by the blue lines that were all over it. Cyberse Enchanter swung his diamond-bladed sword, ready for battle.

**Cyberse Enchanter ATK: 2400 LINK-3** ⬅️⬇️➡️

"So that's the monster you got from the Data Storm..." Percival muttered.

"I activate Cyberse Enchanter's first effect!" Playmaker said. "Since Cyberse Enchanter was Link Summoned using Cyberse Wizard, I can target one monster you control and change its battle position. By doing so, its effects are negated until the End Phase! I target Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! Cyberse Rewrite!" Three rings of energy appeared around Cyberse Enchanter's right arm as he fired a blast of energy from it, causing the dragon to change positions once again as his effects were negated.

"I also activate the Equip Spell card, Hack Sword!" The card showed Cyberse White Hat holding a long, blue diamond-bladed sword, as different codes appeared on it. "When a Cyberse monster equipped with this card attacks a monster you control, it gains attack points equal to that monster's attack points until the End Phase."

"What?" Percival said in surprise, as Cyberse Enchanter grabbed a long, blue diamond bladed sword using his left hand.

"Battle!" Playmaker declared. "Cyberse Enchanter attacks Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! At this point, Hack Sword's effect activates. When a Cyberse monster equipped with this card attacks a monster you control, it gains attack points equal to that monster's attack points until the End Phase!" A technological aura surrounded Cyberse Enchanter as he powered up.

**Cyberse Enchanter ATK: 2400 + 3500 = 5900**

"Dual Synch Slash!" Cyberse Enchanter charged forward, with his own sword and Hack Sword in each hand, intent on defeating Dark Rebellion. However...

"I activate my face-down Trap card, The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring!" Percival interjected. "When this card is activated, I can not only negate the attack, but can also Special Summon this card to my field as an effect monster in attack position!"

"I'm afraid it won't work, pal." Ai stated.

"And why's that?"

"It's because you forgot about Hack Sword's second effect." Playmaker calmly responded to Percival. "Once per turn, if Hack Sword is equipped to a Cyberse Link monster and you activate a Spell or Trap card during the Battle Phase, I can negate the activation and destroy it!"

"Your Hack Sword can do that?" Percival said, shocked that Playmaker was able to negate his Trap card once again.

"It definitely can!" Ai said.

"Go, Hack Degrade!" Playmaker declared, as Cyberse Enchanter fired a blast of energy from Hack Sword, negating and destroying The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring.

"You may win this duel, Playmaker," Percival said, "but you won't destroy my Dark Rebellion." He gestured to his field. "I activate my second face-down Trap card, Phantom Knights' Wing! I can target one monster on the field and increase its attack points by 500! Also, the first time it would be destroyed by battle or card effect this turn, it's not destroyed! I target Dark Rebellion!" Dark Rebellion's wings glowed in purple fire as he powered up.

**Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon ATK: 3500 + 500 = 4000**

"Resume your attack, Cyberse Enchanter!" Playmaker said. "Dual Synch Slash!"

"Respond in kind, Dark Rebellion!" Percival said. "Mauling Mandible Charge!"

Both monsters charged at each other in full force. Once Cyberse Enchanter's sword and Hack Sword met Dark Rebellion's glowing tusks, the clash released a blast of energy towards Percival, causing him to fall off his duel board as his life points dropped zero. Dark Rebellion was also pushed back by the impact.

**Percival: 1700 – 1900 = 0**

Dark Rebellion, upon seeing Percival fall, swooped down, saving him as he landed on the dragon's back.

"This way, Playmaker." Percival told him, as he flew forward with Dark Rebellion. Playmaker increased the speed on his duel board to keep up.

Within a minute, Playmaker jumped on top of a large flying platform, Percival and Dark Rebellion landing on it moments later.

"You have impressed me, Playmaker." Percival said to him. "The fact you were able to surpass me in a duel clearly proves you are ready for what's to come."

"I've defeated you in a duel." Playmaker said. "Now take me to Watchman!"

"There's no need." Watchman said, as he appeared from behind Playmaker, an orange gateway disappearing behind him in the process. "For I am here." Percival then walked over to Watchman's side, as Dark Rebellion disappeared and returned to his deck.

"You!" Playmaker said, turning around to face Watchman. "I've passed your trial. Now get ready. Because I'm dueling you right now!"

"Playmaker, we already dueled enough as it is today!" Ai said, trying to calm Playmaker down.

"Your Ignis is right, Playmaker." Watchman stated. "There's no point in dueling you anymore as it is."

"What are you talking about?" Playmaker demanded.

"You forgot already?" Watchman said, putting a hand to his face for a brief moment. "I brought you here so I can prepare for the Crisis, as well as help you know your true self."

"My true self?" Playmaker repeated. Suddenly, it made sense to him now. The questions Percival asked him during their duel. It all related to his true self! He closed his eyes. "If I'm being honest, Watchman, I haven't thought about who I really am, other than the reason I fight. And until I defeat the Hanoi, I don't think I'll ever be able to move on." He then reopened them. "But know that I don't just fight for myself. I fight for a friend's brother, who's been traumatized by the Lost Incident, and for everyone else who was there as well."

_A friend's brother_, Percival thought. No. It can't be. Did Playmaker know-?

"I see." Watchman said. "But surely the duel has impacted you in some way, correct?"

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't true." Playmaker responded. "But I'll only be able to answer those questions myself once the Hanoi is defeated."

"Very well, then." An orange card generated in Watchman's palm before he threw it at Playmaker, who caught it.

"What's this?" Playmaker asked.

"Consider it your reward. With a condition." Watchman answered. "Defeat Revolver and the Hanoi, just as you promised you would. Then, if you're still not satisfied, use that card to find me, and we will duel for the answers you seek."

"Alright." Playmaker nodded. He was about to turn around and log out when Watchman spoke up.

"Project VIII."

Playmaker blinked. "Huh? What's that?"

"I'll let you find that out for yourself." Watchman said, as he snapped his fingers, logging Playmaker out of his server.

"Playmaker knows _him_." Percival said, turning his head to face Watchman.

"I know." Watchman responded, surprising Percival.

"You knew this, and you didn't tell me?" Percival demanded. "I will approach Playmaker and his ally in the real world, and-."

"You will do no such thing, Percival." Watchman warned him. "The three of us must continue to operate discreetly if we are to stop not just the Hanoi, but the Crisis as well. If you continue with your rash action, you'll blow our cover." He put a hand on Percival's shoulder. "I ask that you wait a little longer. Then you'll have the opportunity to do so. Ok?"

Percival sighed. "Alright. But just assure me that you're keeping up with your end of the offer."

Watchman nodded, causing Percival to breathe in relief. The knight then logged out of Watchman's server afterwards.

_Raguel and Playmaker_, Watchman thought, as he looked up at the stars, _you are both intriguing._ He smirked._ I look forward to our next discussion_.

_At Café Nagi..._

An exhausted Yusaku leaned against from the wall. He didn't expect his Speed Duel against Percival to drain so much energy, but it did.

"That was too close!" Ai said. "If it weren't for Cyberse Enchanter, we would have lost. I think we should update our skills if we're gonna stand against Revolver and the remaining Hanoi."

"For once, you make a good point, Ai." Yusaku said, before opening the door.

"Yusaku!" Kusanagi said, his relief evident as he ran to where Yusaku was and caught him from falling. "I'm glad you're okay, buddy." The two of them then headed to the back of Café Nagi, where the digital keyboard and monitors were. Once the two of them sat in their respective seats, Yusaku spoke.

"Kusanagi, I need to know your thoughts on-."

"Percival and Watchman formerly being a part of the Hanoi Project?" Kusanagi finished. "I gotta say. The fact they actually want to repent surprises even me."

"It's not just them, you know!" Ai stated, appearing out of Yusaku's Duel Disk. "I bet the opponent Raguel and Herald faced was also formerly with the Hanoi as well!"

"If that were the case, Ai," Yusaku replied, "then Furutani would have contacted us about it." He turned back to Kusanagi. "For now, we should focus on Watchman and Percival, as they're the only two new leads we have."

"Yeah, about that." Kusanagi started typing on the digital keyboard. "I couldn't find anything else other than their identities online. Just like with the Hanoi. But the fact this Watchman knows your LINK VRAINS and real life identities is disturbing."

"I don't think he'll give our identities away, Kusanagi." Yusaku said.

"Why do you think that?"

"If he were with the Hanoi, he would have told them immediately about our identities. But the fact he's working against them alongside Percival and another ally proves that he can be trusted. For now." Yusaku answered Kusanagi. He then pressed a button on his Duel Disk, which popped out an orange card. "Besides, if we're wrong, I can use this locator card to find and duel him for the truth." As Yusaku looked at the orange card, he fell silent.

"Something on your mind, buddy?" Kusanagi asked him.

"There are three things on my mind, actually." Yusaku told Kusanagi, turning to face him. He held up one finger. "One: The 'Crisis' Watchman kept talking about. He had Raguel and I duel his allies to prepare for it. Do you think there's something worse than the Hanoi out there, Kusanagi?"

Kusanagi put a hand to his chin and pondered the question for a minute. "In my opinion, I don't think there are any worse enemies than the Hanoi right now. But it doesn't hurt to be prepared."

"That's what I said to Yusaku!" Ai interjected.

Yusaku ignored Ai and held up a second finger. "Two: Project VIII. After defeating Percival in a duel, Watchman told me that there was a project called Project VIII before logging me out of his server. What exactly is it? And is it related to the Lost Incident in any way?"

"Let me see." Kusanagi typed something on the digital keyboard. Soon, an article popped up on the monitor. "Nothing much unfortunately, Yusaku. Other than that it was a top secret project. That's at least what the FBI told the reporters."

"The FBI?" Yusaku repeated. "Why would the FBI be involved with Project VIII?"

"Not sure." Kusanagi answered. "But the Hanoi may know something about Project VIII too."

"Once we kick their asses, that is." Ai pointed out.

Yusaku held up a third finger. "Three: My duel with Percival. During the duel, he asked me questions on what I'll do with my life once the Hanoi faces justice for what they've done."

"And?"

"I didn't answer. Because at the time, I couldn't." Yusaku replied. A look of dread was registered on his face. "I'm scared, Kusanagi. What if, after we accomplish our goal, I can't find a new purpose?"

Kusanagi turned his chair to look at Yusaku, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey. Don't let that get you down. Once we defeat the Hanoi, and we will, you and Jin, as well as Furutani and the others, will get peace. You will find it, Yusaku. Trust me."

Yusaku nodded. "Thanks, Kusanagi."

"After all, anything can happen in the future." Kusanagi started laughing. "Who knows? You might start going out with Aoi Zaizen when all this is over!"

"WHAT?" Ai exclaimed. He then scratched his head as he looked at Yusaku, who had an oblivious look on his face. "This guy and Aoi Zaizen? As a couple?" Ai then started laughing. "That will NEVER HAPPEN! NEVER EVER EVER!"

Yusaku still couldn't respond, as he was still completely oblivious to the topic at hand. _How does dating relate in any way to my future_, he wondered, as Ai and Kusanagi continued to laugh.

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

Yuhiro, who was tired from the duel, and today in general, was forced to go on one knee as the door to the closed-off space opened.

"I gotta say, Roxy." Yuhiro said, as he stood up and walked to the backroom. "If it weren't for you and Herald-." But he stopped talking when he noticed Roxy wasn't there. "Roxy?" He went over to the digital keyboard, which had a note on it.

"It appears there's a note." Herald observed, as Yuhiro picked it up. The note read:

_Yuhiro,_

_Come to the kitchen. We need to talk. And congrats for winning._

_-R._

"You sure you're ready to talk with Roxy about what's going on?" Herald asked him. Yuhiro nodded.

"Yeah. It's time I did." Yuhiro confirmed, as he left the backroom and headed upstairs to the kitchen part of the second floor. Roxy was there when he arrived, sitting on a chair opposite to him.

"Have a seat, buster," she said, gesturing him to sit down. Yuhiro did so, knowing he didn't want to make her wait any longer. Roxy then continued talking. "I know you've been through a lot today considering that duel, so I'll make this quick. Why didn't you tell me about what was troubling you sooner?"

"I didn't tell you earlier because... because I was scared." Yuhiro answered, catching his breath, as it took a bit more strength than usual to get that last word out. "All these years, I did my work on the black market to not only support Miyu, but to repay you back for all the kindness you showed me. I didn't want to tell you I wanted to stop because if I did, I... would feel... that I failed... both you and Miyu." He started to feel fresh tears come out of his eyes. Was it because it was difficult for him to tell the truth?

"Thank you for telling me this, Yuhiro. For being honest with me." Roxy said. "Now it's time for me to be honest with you." She took out a small bag beside her and pulled something out. It was a small, thin wooden box. "You remember how I told you I had a killer deck?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, before I adopted you, I worked as a duelist on the black market part-time." Roxy then opened the small, thin wooden box, revealing a deck. "On LINK VRAINS at the time, I was known as Angelica."

"Angelica?" Yuhiro repeated. "You mean _the_ Angelica? The same one who plundered 38,390,000 yen from the Scarclust clan?" Roxy nodded with a mischievous smirk on her face, confirming his suspicions and astounding him. Several times Monty had told Yuhiro about Angelica, and how one day he may be her equal due to his success rate. Never did Yuhiro think that Roxy _was_ Angelica.

"My deck was a pain in the ass for anyone who stood in my way, especially when pirates were involved." Roxy stated, closing the small, thin wooden box. "However, that day, when I learned about the promise you made to Miyu at the hospital, I had a feeling that you wanted to do whatever it took to help her."

"And that led to my first assignment on the black market." Yuhiro finished. He then realized something. "Wait a minute. How do you know about the promise I made to Miyu three years ago? That was private!" Yuhiro's face turned red within moments.

"Um, cameras?" Roxy sheepishly said. "Remember, I am a skilled hacker, as well as a killer duelist." She stood up from her seat and walked to where Yuhiro was. "My point is, you have to remember we're a badass team. You're not alone in this fight. And together, we will get Miyu back."

Yuhiro smiled. He was then suddenly surprised by Roxy hugging him, like a mother would.

"You will be alright. There, there." Roxy said, as she patted his head.

"Heh. Thanks," Yuhiro said, squirming his way out of Roxy's hug. "You know, I have to ask. Is there anything going on between you and Kusanagi?"

Roxy's response to this was to laugh out loud. "Anything going on? No, Yuhiro. We just exchanged phone numbers, that's all. If anything, we're friends."

"Friends with a _lot_ in common." Yuhiro clarified.

"Do you want me to tease you about Miyu being your future girlfriend one day?"

Yuhiro's face once again turned red as the question made him think about Miyu holding his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder, the two of them enjoying their time with each other. He did not want to think about _that_ right now. "No, please."

"Then don't tease me about my friendship with Kusanagi." Roxy said firmly.

"Deal."

"Say, Roxy." Herald said, emerging out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "I didn't know you were a part-time duelist on the black market. Could you tell me more about it?"

"Sure thing, Herald." Roxy replied. "And while we're at it, we can talk about what happened in Watchman's server over take-out. What do you say?"

"If it's pizza, then I'm in!" Yuhiro said, as Roxy left to make the order. Progleo then jumped out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk and onto the table.

"What's pizza?" the cub asked, curious about this new meal Roxy was placing an order for.

"You, my little friend," Yuhiro said, rubbing Progleo's fur, "are about to find out."

_At Uchida Industries... _

"You're calling it a night, Mr. Uchida?" a young woman with curly, blond hair asked him, as he walked to the front desk of the first floor, carrying a box.

"Somewhat." Emon answered. "I need to look over the properties of the Dascium metal at home to see how it can be applied to the new construction project. As well as send results to the team."

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out, sir," the woman affirmed.

"Thank you, Gracie." Emon said, as he headed for the exit to his car.

Once he got to his car, he started it up and drove away from the parking lot to home. Along the way, he received a phone call. He responded to it by pressing the green phone button.

"Yes?"

"I take it you got everything you need?" a scrambled voice asked.

"I have everything in the trunk." Emon confirmed. "I will see you in the network."

"Understood." The call then abruptly ended.

Once Emon arrived back home, he took the box from the trunk and headed to the front steps of his house. There, he unlocked the door and entered.

"Hello, Mr. Uchida," a tall, butler robot on wheels greeted him. "Shall I-?"

"No need." Emon told the robot. "I have some important business to take care of." He then headed upstairs, carrying the box.

When he went into his room, Emon put the box on the table before pulling out three things: A cache of Dascium metal, his Duel Disk, and blueprints. He scanned the blueprints and Dascium metal into his Duel Disk before putting it on.

After closing the door to his bedroom, he lied down on his bed and put on his Duel Disk. Emon then put his deck into his Duel Disk and said, "Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!"

_At the Hanoi Stronghold..._

Infearno materialized into the Hanoi Stronghold. At the center, he saw Revolver, kneeling down in front of the coffin Dancho was lying in.

"So it is true." Infearno said, getting Revolver's attention. "Dancho lost his duel against Raguel."

"He will be avenged." Revolver angrily promised, as he stood up. "As well as Faust, Baira, and Dr. Genome."

"And that is something we will do." Infearno promised, as he walked over to Revolver. "After all, Dancho was like a grandfather to you. He trained you. Loved you like you were his son. And he was there for you when your parents split."

Revolver made a fist with his right hand, growling at the mention of the memory. If it weren't for the creation of the Ignis, he would still have his mother in his life.

"I thought we agreed not to talk about that, Infearno," the voice of Dr. Kogami said, getting both Revolver and Infearno's attention, as he materialized to where they were. "Or should I talk about what happened to your wife?"

Infearno's face turned pale. "Forgive me, Dr. Kogami." He bowed low in front of him. "I never intended to bring it up. All I wanted was to console your son for his loss."

Dr. Kogami was about to say something, but Revolver beat him to it.

"Don't worry about it, Infearno." Revolver told him. "We should get to the subject at hand now that you're back from probation."

"Agreed." Dr. Kogami added. "Infearno, did you bring what I requested?"

"Yes." A monitor then appeared in front of the three, as Infearno pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk. On the monitor were blueprints, which showed a massive data construct with several purple tendrils, as well as six massive grey rings. "What do you think?"

"I think it's excellent." Dr. Kogami approved. "Once again, you've demonstrated your brilliance, Infearno."

"Yes." Revolver agreed with Dr. Kogami, smiling. "This data construct will be the beginning of the end for the Ignis."

A hologram then emerged from Infearno's Duel Disk, showing the Dascium metal. "The Dascium metal will reinforce the construct and let it handle enormous amounts of energy" he explained. "However, in order to power the construct itself and turn it on, we'll need a power source."

"Leave that to me." Revolver said, a grin on his face. "I'll get the energy required."

Dr. Kogami nodded, his hand on his chin. "Is there anything else required?"

"Nothing else but time to prepare it." Infearno answered. "As we're outnumbered, I'll be on the lookout for anyone who could help us."

"Very well." Dr. Kogami looked at the construct. "I think there's one more thing it needs."

"What else would it need, father?" Revolver asked Dr. Kogami, turning to face him.

"A name." Dr. Kogami clarified. "How about 'The Tower of Hanoi'?"

_At an apartment in Den City..._

A young man logged out of LINK VRAINS as the blue sphere around his body disappeared. He stood up and turned the lights on in his room. As he headed over to the nearby desk, he caught sight of himself in the mirror closet. He was wearing a black shirt with black track pants. The man also had long, purple hair, ending at his shoulder blades. His grey, soulless eyes looked away from the mirror as he continued walking to the nearby desk.

On the desk was a picture of two boys, smiling at a park. One boy had dark, purple hair, and wore a dark, blue shirt. The younger boy had light, purple hair, and wore a light, blue shirt.

_Jin, Shoichi... _the man thought. _One day, I will set this right_.

**Card Gallery**

_Cyberse Randomizer (LV: 6/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 600/DEF: 600)_

_Effect: You can banish 1 Link Monster from your GY; Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, place 'Bet' counters equal to its Link Rating. Once per turn: You can remove 1 'Bet' counter, and if you do, roll a dice, then apply one of the following effects:_

_1 or 2: Draw 1 card._

_3 or 4: Draw 2 cards._

_5 or 6: Draw 3 cards._

_The Phantom Knights of Deathly Hallows (Field Spell Card)_

_Effect: All 'The Phantom Knights' monsters you control gain 200 ATK and DEF. Once per turn: You can target 1 'The Phantom Knights' Spell or Trap Card in your GY; Set it in your Spell and Trap Card zone, but it cannot be activated this turn. If you XYZ summon a DARK XYZ monster: All DARK monsters you control gain 400 ATK and DEF until the end of the turn._

_Elixir of the Gods (Normal Spell card)_

_Effect: Tribute 1 'Cyreath' monster you control; draw two cards. You cannot attack with monsters you control the turn you activate this card._

_Hack Sword (Equip Spell card)_

_Effect: Equip only to a Cyberse monster. If the equipped monster attacks a monster your opponent controls, it gains ATK equal to that opponent's monsters ATK until the End Phase. If this card is equipped to a Cyberse Link Monster, it gains the following effect:_

_ Once per turn, during the Battle Phase, when your opponent activates a Spell or Trap card: You can negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it._

_Link Restorer (LR: 2/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1000/⬅️➡️_)

Effect: 2 Cyberse monsters. During either player's turn, when this card leaves the field: You gain 1000 LP. Once per turn: You can banish this card from your GY; add 1 Cyberse monster from your GY to your hand.

**QOTC**

_Between Percival and Demeter, who do you think is stronger? And do you think the two of them could stand against the other antagonists of VRAINS if they unleashed their full power?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 20: Duel Charisma Festival. To celebrate the end of the 'Another' threat against LINK VRAINS, SOL Technologies hosts two special duels between four Charisma Duelists. With everything back to normal for now, Yuhiro and Roxy decide to take a break and hang out with Yusaku and Kusanagi to watch the duels. However, during those duels, something occurs that catches both Yuhiro's and Yusaku's attention..._

_**Responses to Reviews and Author's Notes**_

Thank you to ZarcEternal, ZeroMK7, HunterHQ, Unnamed, Guest, Electriuser, Anonymous, E.T. 2000, yuman28, and Guest for reviewing Chapter 18 of Obscured Truth.

Okay, this was an action packed chapter, and a nice way to conclude the 'Another' arc. I do hope you all enjoy reading it, just as much as I enjoyed writing it!

A couple of things to discuss: The main thing that happened this chapter were Playmaker and Raguel's duels against Watchman's allies.

Playmaker's duel was a Speed Duel against Percival, who uses a Phantom Knights deck. His VRAINS and in-real life designs are based off of Berserker from Fate/Zero, while his personality is based off of The Lingering Will from Kingdom Hearts. Thanks to Cyberse Enchanter, Playmaker defeated Percival in the end, while learning about Project VIII from Watchman in the process.

Raguel's duel was a Master Duel against Demeter, who uses a Simorgh deck. Her VRAINS appearance is based off of Oberus from Bakugan, one of the six guardians of Vestroia. Her personality is based off of Harvey Scherazard, or Schera from Sen no Kiseki (or Trails in the Sky for those who aren't familiar with it). With encouragement from Roxy (and some help from Herald), Raguel was able to win thanks to Turboblaze Dragon. In addition, he was finally able to resolve the conflict within his heart in the process.

We also learn something new about Roxy: Before adopting Yuhiro, she worked as a part-time duelist on the black market. Her VRAINS ID name is Angelica, from _Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides_, and her deck is the Plunder Patroll deck. Were you surprised by this revelation?

Lastly, there were two post-credit scenes. I won't summarize them down here, but I encourage you to come up with your own theories as to what those post-credit scenes mean for the rest of the story.

Now for some announcements. First, starting next chapter, I'll be answering reviews at the start of every chapter. This way, I'll be able to answer any burning questions you have before reading the newest chapter.

Second, the Profile Page. Profiles will begin once this chapter is uploaded, which means there might be a small delay for Chapter 20, as I have to catch up to said chapter. And just to remind you of the format: It will be in the form of small recap chapters, with the profiles of each duelist. The recap episodes, although they will be in a separate story, will occur in between chapters, which will contain the profiles of each duelist. **The first profile page will therefore occur after Chapter 1, and it will cover Yuhiro and the Knight of Hanoi he dueled**. Let me know if you have questions.

Third. I thought about it, and decided that I wanted to show you all my gratitude for waiting with the opening of a contest. That's right, I said contest! Lately, I'm having a bit of trouble creating cards for characters in the story. That is why I'm turning to you. Here's how it works: You can create a card for any character in the story, not just Yuhiro. Monsters, Spells, Traps, whatever you want. **However, the card you make must not be inappropriate, nor can it be Insta-kill, as Herald pointed out in the previous chapter**. Each person can submit up to three cards, and you can submit them through a PM or through the review. You must also put down a number, so I know who to message regarding winners **(two winners will be chosen, just like before)**. As for how long you have, I think until Chapter 20 is released will do.

Anyway, onto reviews:

ZarcEternal: Thank you very much on what you said regarding Cyreath Counter-Shuffle. I fixed the error the best I could. Also, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter.

ZeroMK7: Thank you very much. I didn't get your DM though on your Tenyi vs Red-Eyes match.

HunterHQ: Don't worry. I resolved the error. And I hope this chapter answered your question regarding Yua Kogami. Unfortunately for poor Dancho, he fell so low that he believed the sacrifices were for the greater good. Oh, and rest assured. Herald and Ai are actually going to interact with each other next chapter.

Unnamed: Glad you found Piercing to be a surprise.

Guest: I included that reference on purpose.

Electriuser: Glad you liked the chapter. Dancho joined the Hanoi because of him spending time with Revolver as a boy. He also joined because Dr. Kogami gave him a purpose after he lost his previous one.

Anonymous: I'll consider those ideas.

E.T. 2000: Project VIII will be explored more in Season 2, and will have a major part.

Yuman28: Dancho isn't dead. Rather, he's in a coma along with Baira, Faust, and Dr. Genome.

Guest: I don't mind the constructive criticism. And rest assured, my friend. The story will be different from the others.

As always, let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. Did you enjoy the duels in this chapter? Were you surprised by Roxy once being a duelist on the black-market? And how do the post-credit scenes affect the rest of the story?

Put your thoughts down, as next time, I'll see you not only on the next chapter, but on the first Profile Page as well!


	20. Chapter 20: Dual Charisma Festival

**Responses to Reviews**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Guest, Majun, ZeroMK7, Yuman28, Guest, Anonymous, Ambiguous, Ambiguous, E.T. 2000, Guest, and Helios Darkus for reviewing Chapter 19 of Obscured Truth.

Hello everyone! Before I get to reviews, I got to say. I didn't expect Chapter 19 to receive mixed reviews. I first want to thank everyone for reviewing, as your constructive criticism will help make this story not only better, but more efficient as well. As a writer, I strive to write a strong story that respects Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS, and I aim to always do better. It is due to your reviews that I'll be making some small announcements:

One: Dark Rebellion and Dark Requiem will be having their OCG effects in the story. This way, they'll stand a better chance against Link Monsters.

Two: I'll do a better job of looking over the duels for any errors before posting the chapter (and I may ask some of you for help and/or advice if needed).

Three: For the future, please do not be quick to judge the story in the direction it is going. I want to assure you all that I have a plan in place, and I'm following it so that the good and bad guys have a chance to shine. Also, for those who were worried about the bad guys having a disadvantage during the Tower of Hanoi arc, I want to assure you that it won't be the case. How, I can't say.

Two things before I get to reviews: I want to let everyone know that a good majority of the profiles are up, and I encourage you to look at them if you need a laugh. Called Roxy's Reports, they focus on the duels Yuhiro either witnessed or took a part in, and they're in between chapters. Let me know what you think of them!

Last thing: The winner of the contest will be announced at the end of **this** chapter in Author's Notes.

Anyhow, with everything out of the way, let's get to the reviews, shall we?

HunterHQ: When Yuhiro is saying the Highest Mountain, he's referring to Mount Olympus. I'm really glad you enjoyed the Bakugan throwbacks in the chapter. As for the other two scientists, their fates will be revealed later on. Finally, while Watchman's allies won't appear in the Tower of Hanoi arc, they will appear again in Season 2.

Guest: You'll find out why Infearno joined the Hanoi later on. As for the technology and funding for the Hanoi, Emon Uchida (also known as Infearno) was responsible for that. However, he wasn't responsible for setting up the rooms and equipment.

Majun: As a YusakuxAoi shipper, I can confirm that Yuhiro and Aoi are not dating. Rather, people just enjoy teasing poor Yuhiro, such as Rachel, Miles, Roxy, and Quinton.

ZeroMK7: Glad you liked the chapter. And I'm proud of how you handled yourself against the Tenyi duelist.

Yuman28: Thank you very much for the constructive criticism. I'll admit, I could have done much better for Playmaker's duel. What I can assure you is that, with the feedback, I'll be able to write better duels for Percival and Demeter (now that Dark Rebellion and Dark Requiem will be having their OCG effects). I want to assure you that the Tower of Hanoi arc will not be 11 vs 4 (and I wasn't planning it in the first place, so don't worry). I hope I've eased your concerns.

Guest: Ai can definitely be a clueless AI at times, especially in Chapter 19. But I do agree with you: He can also act as well. As for your concern regarding Percival's Phantom Knights' deck, I promise you that when Percival duels, he'll use better combos. After all, as stated above, Dark Rebellion and Dark Requiem will have their OCG effects. As for Percival's history with the Kusanagi brothers, you'll have to read on and see.

Anonymous: I'm glad you found the Wuxi Finger Hold reference funny. As for your suggestion, I might implement it (after all, I'm a sucker for the MCU).

Ambiguous: The duels Dancho had with SengokuQueen and Yuhiro will change him, but he won't be leaving the Hanoi in Season 2. However, anything can be possible in the future...

Ambiguous: Yes. Another MCU reference indeed.

E.T. 2000: First, I'm glad you liked some parts of Chapter 19. Second, I want to let you know that Dark Rebellion and Dark Requiem will have their OCG effects in the story. This way, they can combat Link Monsters. As for Windy's origin, do you seriously expect me to use the Yosenju deck for him? I choose different decks because of how symbolic they are for the user (if you're curious about what I mean, don't hesitate to ask me in your review. Or send me a PM).

Guest: I'm glad you like the story.

Helios Darkus: I'm glad you like the story.

With the reviews answered, it's time to begin the Cyberse Hunt arc. Enjoy the chapter below!

**Chapter 20: Duel Charisma Festival**

_At Den Academy, in the afternoon..._

"Ah, peace." Yuhiro muttered, as the teacher finished the Functions lesson early to give the students time to get started on the homework for the week. It had been a week since the 'Another' threat and the trials Watchman gave to him and Yusaku.

When he and Roxy, along with Progleo, ate pizza that night after Watchman's trial, the two of them agreed that they would cease their working relationship with Monty and never work for the black market again once the Hanoi were defeated. _After all_, Yuhiro thought, as he recalled the words Roxy told him, as _soon as Miyu wakes up, we'll both be helping her as she readjusts back into society. And trust me when I say, it's no easy task._ A small blush appeared on Yuhiro's face as he recalled the conversation. _Damn it_, he thought. _This is not the time to think about Miyu!_

"Yuhiro."

Thankfully for Yuhiro, he was able to snap out from his thoughts upon hearing his name being called out. When he turned his head, he saw Rachel take the empty seat beside him.

"Good afternoon, Rachel." Yuhiro said. "What's up?"

"I noticed that there was something on your mind," she said, a mischievous smirk on her face. "Was it Aoi Zaizen by any chance?"

Yuhiro rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Rachel. To answer your question, no. If anything, we're just acquaintances. I was thinking about... something else."

Unfortunately for Yuhiro, Rachel's smirk widened.

"I wonder what Yuhiro could be thinking about," she theorized. "Could it be a new love interest? A deep secret? Or something else?" She giggled to herself as she succeeded in annoying Yuhiro.

"Must you do that?" Yuhiro asked, face-palming his head for a few seconds as he realized he fell for Rachel's trap.

"It's my way of having fun." Rachel replied, a smile on her face. "I'm guessing that other people you know do this to you too?"

"Yes." Yuhiro grumbled. "I know of two people other than you and Roxy that like to tease me." Wanting to change the subject, he asked, "Was there something you wanted? Or did you come here to tease me?"

Rachel, seeing that Yuhiro was serious, frowned. "Hold on." She pulled out her tablet from her bag and turned it on before finding an article. "Aha! I found it!"

"Found what?"

Rachel showed Yuhiro the article she found on her tablet. "An announcement from SOL Technologies?"

"Yup!" Rachel confirmed with glee. "It says that SOL Technologies is organizing not one, but two separate Charisma duels between four of the Top 10 Charisma Duelists to celebrate the end of the 'Another' threat." She looked from the tablet to Yuhiro with a pout on her face. "But it doesn't say who will be participating."

"I'm sure they'll announce it later on in the day." Yuhiro assured her. He had to admit, he was curious with this announcement. There were still Hanoi remnants to take care of, and SOL Technologies was announcing two special duels? Either the company was completely arrogant in their abilities, or very stupid in pursuing this action.

"Who do you think will participate, Yuhiro?" Rachel asked, getting Yuhiro's attention.

"Not sure." Yuhiro replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm hoping that Stregone does. He always puts on a good show."

"Stregone?" Rachel repeated. "You mean 'The Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS'?" Yuhiro nodded. "I'm hoping that Blue Angel gets to duel."

"How come?"

"Because of this." Rachel answered, as she opened up a video showcasing the recent duel between Baira and Blue Angel. "Even though Blue Angel got lucky, I noticed through her plays that she was fighting for something different, wouldn't you agree?"

_Fighting for something different_, Yuhiro thought, as he watched Blue Angel Link Summon Trickstar Bella Madonna and use her to finish the duel in style. Wait. How was Rachel able to discern that just from watching the duel? Either she was very perceptive, or...

But before Yuhiro could ask her his question, the two of them heard a phone vibrate.

"Sorry, Yuhiro." Rachel said, taking her phone out of her pocket. When she found out who was calling her, she rolled her eyes. "I need to take this call. It was good talking to you." And Rachel walked out of the classroom to take the call.

_Okay_, Yuhiro thought. _Perhaps Herald was right about her after all. However, I should talk with Roxy about our suspicions first_. He then looked around the room, and suddenly remembered that Gekiryushi wasn't at school today. It would make sense, he thought. _After the brutal defeat she suffered against Dancho, as well as being cured from the 'Another' virus, she definitely needs rest. And some time to think on her beliefs._

_A few hours later, after school..._

Yuhiro walked down the steps of Den Academy, the school day over at last. He was about to head on home when he saw Yusaku outside, sitting on a bench. Considering how they were temporarily allies, Yuhiro decided to join him.

"Hello, Fujiki."

Yusaku looked up as Yuhiro approached. "Hello," he said. "Do you need something?"

Yuhiro sat down beside Yusaku, who was wearing his Duel Disk just like him. "How'd it go against one of Watchman's allies?"

Yusaku narrowed his eyes. "It was a challenging duel. And unfortunately, I had to make do with the hand I got," he admitted, remembering the duel. "The person I dueled in that server was called Percival. Who did you duel?"

"A woman named Demeter." Yuhiro immediately answered. "She dueled me to help with the inner conflict in my heart."

"Inner conflict?" Yusaku asked, confused. "What do you mean?"

Yuhiro then proceeded to explain why he took jobs on the black-market in the first place: To repay Roxy for all the kindness she showed him, and to also support Miyu as well.

"Miyu..." Yusaku muttered. "She's another of the children in the Lost Incident, isn't she?" Yuhiro nodded in response. "I didn't know your reasons on dueling until now. I guess we're a bit similar."

"Maybe." Yuhiro agreed with Yusaku. "Did this 'Percival' also help you in some way?"

Yusaku recalled the duel, especially what Percival told him. _It is as I thought. Ever since those dreadful days during the Lost Incident, you have been chained to the past._ He then narrowed his eyes in anger.

"Did I make you angry or something?"

"Percival was a research intern during the Lost Incident," Yusaku said, surprising Yuhiro. "He told me he wasn't aware that _children_ were being tortured until it was too late." He calmed down as he turned his head to Yuhiro. "But what surprised me was that he knew one of the kidnapped children, and couldn't do anything to save them."

The news definitely caught Yuhiro off-guard. If he found out this information himself, he would have every right to be angry. But still, Percival was shrouded in mysteries of grey. What was his real objective in helping Watchman? And why?

"Maybe Percival is like us." Yuhiro theorized. "Although he still has a bit to repent for, he wants to defeat the Hanoi, just like us. After all, if we get suspicious, we got hackers on our side who can find information about him if needed."

"I'll keep that in mind, Furutani." Yusaku said, standing up. As if on cue, both Yusaku and Yuhiro's phones vibrated, indicating they both got texts.

"Hmm. Interesting," Yusaku said, reading over his text. He looked at Yuhiro. "Kusanagi's inviting you and Roxy-."

"Over to hang out at Café Nagi after school?" Yuhiro finished, surprising Yusaku as he stood up. "Yup. I know. It's due to the Dual Charisma Festival today, correct?"

Yusaku nodded. The fact that the four of them were meeting at Café Nagi meant the two of them could walk there instead of going their separate ways. That, and they can continue their conversation with their Ignis's.

Knowing where they needed to go, the two of them left Den Academy and started walking for Café Nagi in silence.

_A few minutes later..._

"Do you think Demeter was also once part of the Hanoi?" Yusaku asked Yuhiro, as the two of them were walking to the public viewing plaza.

"Not sure." Yuhiro admitted. "She clearly didn't say in our duel."

"Which makes this a mystery!" Ai said, emerging from Yusaku's Duel Disk and placing his fist in the palm of his other hand. "One that we gotta solve ASAP!"

"Yes and no, Ai." Herald replied, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "While the identities of Percival and Demeter are a mystery, I think it's one we can't solve for right now."

"WHAT? How come?" Ai asked. "We defeat the rest of the Hanoi lieutenants, and lo and behold, Watchman yanks the both of us to his server and forces Yusaku and I in a Speed Duel! I mean, seriously. Weren't you shocked that he could generate Data Material just like Revolver?"

"First of all, I would quiet down, Ai." Herald advised. "And to answer your question, yes, I was a little shocked. But I was more focused on getting through the trial along with Yuhiro, which I'm glad worked out for him in the end."

"I can agree with you on that one, Herald." Yuhiro agreed with Herald. He turned to Yusaku. "Did Percival say anything else to you during the duel?"

"No." Yusaku answered. "But Watchman told me some interesting information before I was logged out of his server."

"Like what?"

"Project VIII."

Yuhiro raised an eyebrow. "What the hell's Project VIII?"

"He didn't tell me." Yusaku replied. "All he said was that I'm to find that out for myself." He then placed a hand on his chin as he thought back to his conversation with Kusanagi regarding Project VIII. "But we might have a few leads, though."

"Who?"

"Who do you think, genius!" Ai said to Yuhiro. "The Hanoi, obviously! As they were responsible for the Hanoi Project, it's only logical that they're responsible for-!"

"You're jumping to conclusions, Ai." Yusaku firmly stated to Ai. "And we don't even know anything about Project VIII in the first place."

"Then who's the other lead you were talking about?" Yuhiro asked.

"The FBI." Yusaku answered. "They told reporters that it was a top-secret project. Other than that, they couldn't disclose anymore information."

_The FBI_, Yuhiro thought, as he remembered the conversation he had with Rachel before heading off to LINK VRAINS to save Naoki Shima. Since Rachel's guardian led an FBI raid and saved her life, it was only logical that he had a high rank in the FBI to do so. Perhaps he might have access to Project VIII as well. But the question was: How would he get the information?

"Furutani." Yuhiro snapped out of his thoughts for the second time today upon hearing Yusaku call out his name. "You got quiet there. Is there something on your mind?"

"Sorry." Yuhiro replied. "It's just what you said got me thinking for a moment there."

"On what?"

"Something I have to investigate in relation to your theory." Yuhiro answered. "If what you're saying is true, then we could be one step closer in finding out what exactly Project VIII is."

"I see." When Yusaku looked ahead, he noticed that they were approaching the public viewing plaza. "Looks like we're already at the public viewing plaza."

"And Café Nagi too." Yuhiro added, finding the food truck where Roxy was at. From what Yuhiro could tell, she was showing Kusanagi something on her tablet at the counter.

"So these are some gauntlet designs I'm planning on making Yuhiro once I get back," Roxy said, swiping her hand to show Kusanagi the designs. What the two of them didn't know was that Yuhiro and Yusaku were walking over to Café Nagi.

"And you make these gauntlets based on monsters Yuhiro encountered in his duels?" Kusanagi asked, looking at a gauntlet that was colored red and white, with a power cannister at the top. "That one looks weird, but based on what I'm reading, it's got a lot of juice, correct?"

"I call it the Blazing Booster." Roxy clarified. "And while it does power Yuhiro's sword or gun, the tricky part is controlling the damn thing once activated. Still trying to work out the kinks, if you ask me." She sheepishly scratched the back of her head and smiled, making Kusanagi chuckle in the process.

"Yo, Roxy. Kusanagi." Yuhiro said, getting both Roxy and Kusanagi's attention and giving the former a heart attack in the process. Yuhiro and Yusaku walked over to Café Nagi, mainly the counter.

"Yuhiro!" Roxy said, turning to face him. "You gave me a heart attack, man!"

"Didn't mean to, Roxy. Sorry about that." Yuhiro sheepishly stated, chuckling in the process. "How are you, Kusanagi?"

"Doing great actually, Yuhiro." Kusanagi answered. "Roxy here was just showing me some projects she planned to get started on after the duels today."

"You're Roxy?" Yusaku asked, getting Roxy's attention. "Furutani's ally?"

"The one and only." Roxy replied, offering him a hand, to which Yusaku shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Fujiki."

"You as well." Yusaku said back. "I wanted to thank you for the program you gave to Kusanagi. If you weren't for that program, I would have been seriously injured during my duel in Watchman's server."

"Happy to help." Roxy replied, letting go of Yusaku's hand and turning to Kusanagi. "Since Yuhiro is here, I think I'm ready to order."

"Roxy. You do know I can order for myself, right?" Yuhiro said, approaching the counter beside her. "I'll have a hotdog, potato wedges, and a Nestea please."

"Sure thing." Kusanagi said, writing the order down. "And for you, Roxy?'

"A cheese hotdog with a small side of fries and a Coke, please." Roxy answered.

"Coming right up." Kusanagi said. He turned his head to Yusaku. "You want your usual, buddy?"

"Sure." Yusaku replied. As soon as Yuhiro and Roxy paid for their meals, the two of them and Yusaku went to find a table to sit at. After sitting down, Yuhiro and Yusaku removed their Duel Disks from their wrists and placed it on the table.

Within moments, Progleo jumped out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk and onto the ground. Upon seeing Yusaku, the cub approached him, letting him pet his head.

"Hello, Progleo." Yusaku said, giving him one of his rare smiles.

"Hello, Fujiki!" Progleo said back, as he appreciated the attention.

"If Progleo warms up to you like that," Herald said, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk, "it's a sign that he likes you."

"Yeah! Just like me!" Ai agreed with Herald, emerging from Yusaku's Duel Disk. "Hey, Progleo! It's me, Ai!"

Progleo, who noticed Ai, went over to where he was, happy to see him. He then licked Ai's face as he stretched over to hug him.

"Hi, Ai!" Progleo said, happy to see Ai once again. "What have you been up to?"

"I'm glad you asked!" Ai said. "For starters, Ai can fly!" In hearing this, Progleo looked at Ai in amazement.

"Really?"

Ai was about to answer Progleo's question when Herald cut him off.

"Not like in the Cyberse World, Progleo. Rather, he did it by modifying Fujiki's Duel Disk into a drone."

"Oh." Progleo replied.

"Hey!" Ai said, now slightly upset with Herald. "Did you have to ruin the fun like that?"

"I'm just saying the truth, that's all." Herald stated, shrugging his shoulders. "After all, you either overexaggerate the truth, or you try to weasel your way out of a scenario." The two Ignis's then started arguing over Ai's antics.

"Say, Furutani." Yusaku said, getting Yuhiro's attention as Progleo headed to where he was. "How exactly did you get a Cyberse creature like Progleo? It can't be from Storm Access, can it?"

"I found Progleo at the bottom of a data storm." Yuhiro answered over Herald and Ai arguing. "He teamed up with me in my Master Duel against Infearno, and helped me defeat him. And don't worry, Fujiki. I don't plan on copying your Skill. After all, it came from your Ignis."

"QUIET YOU TWO!" Roxy suddenly said, slamming her fist down on the table at the two Ignis's, clearly annoyed with their argument. She unintentionally startled Yuhiro, and caused Yusaku to widen his eyes in surprise. "I don't care how you learned to fly, Ai, but the fact that you're both arguing over something silly is completely ridiculous!"

"Sorry, miss." Ai said, now clearly scared with Roxy.

"Trust me when I say, Ai, you do not want to anger Roxy." Herald whispered to Ai, who nodded in agreement.

"Hey. What's all the commotion over there?" Kusanagi asked, as he brought a massive tray consisting of four meals to the table the others were at.

"Let me ask you a question," Roxy said, as Kusanagi sat down with them, "have the two of you found Ai to be annoying?"

"Yup." Yusaku and Kusanagi immediately said at the same time.

"Thank you!" Roxy said, glad to see that someone agreed with her as he got her meal. "For this meal, and for agreeing with me." She turned to Ai. "Ai, you should learn from Herald. He at least has manners."

"Hold on!" Ai said. "I may be a bit annoying, but that doesn't mean I'm not smart. Huh? Huh?" He turned to Yusaku and Kusanagi. "Surely you can agree with me, right Yusaku? Kusanagi?"

"You may be annoying, Ai." Yusaku replied, taking a bite of his hotdog. "But through your own, weird way, you helped us against the Knights of Hanoi so far."

Ai didn't know what to say, so Herald whispered to him, "He's the first person in a while to give you a compliment, Ai. I'd take it and run."

"Thank you, Yusaku. For the compliment." Ai said, still surprised that Yusaku was complimenting him.

Yusaku then noticed Progleo, who was in Yuhiro's lap, was shaking. "Why's Progleo shaking?"

"The poor cub gets scared when Roxy gets angry." Yuhiro answered, stroking Progleo's fur. "There, there," he whispered to Progleo, calming the cub down in the process.

"Anyway, with that out of the way." Roxy said. "I got this great idea going on right now. And I was wondering if the two of you-."

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Are you fired up?" the MC suddenly said, stopping Roxy from talking and infuriating her in the process. "I hope you are, because there is a very special show for you all this afternoon in LINK VRAINS! To celebrate the end of the 'Another' threat, SOL Technologies is hosting not one, but two separate Charisma duels between four of the Top 10 Charisma Duelists!"

"Two duels at the same time!"

"Amazing!"

"I can't wait!"

"Who will be dueling?"

Roxy, who was angry with the MC for interrupting her brilliant idea, stood up. "When I get my hands on that MC, I'll rip him a new one!" She would have proceeded to do just that, had Yuhiro and Kusanagi not stood up and restrained her.

"Hey Roxy, it's not worth it!" Kusanagi stated. "You can share your idea with Yusaku and I after the duels."

"Ugh. Fine." Roxy replied, going back with them and sitting down. "If my brilliant idea disappears by the end of these duels, I'll still rip that MC a new one..."

"Both duels will begin shortly at the same time," the MC said, causing the four people and two AI to look at the screen once again. "For the first duel, we have our defender. He doesn't need an introduction, as all of Den City not only recognizes him as the King of LINK VRAINS, but also as #1 of the Top 10 Charisma Duelists. Give it up for Go Onizuka!" The screen then showed the central LINK VRAINS hub, where a smiling Go Onizuka stood on top of a skyscraper, with his hands in the air as he received everyone's cheers.

"And now for the challenger! He has overcome quest after quest to make it to the #7 rank. He is a champion of good, a righteous warrior! He is the Paladin of LINK VRAINS! I give you, Reidrith!"

A young man of average height and weight wearing a purple crown with five blue gems appeared opposite of Go. He had short and spiky chestnut-brown hair and orange eyes. His outfit consisted of a gold-trimmed green mantle, white shirt, pants, and leather boots. On his back was a sword with a long blade that had blue lines on it.

Reidrith's orange eyes glowed for a moment as he raised an arm. "Citizens of LINK VRAINS! Today, I'm proud, and humbled, to be facing the #1 Charisma Duelist, Go Onizuka!" He turned his gaze to Go. "In order for me to overcome my latest quest, I must defeat you, Go Onizuka. You ready for what's to come?"

Go smirked in response. "Of course I'm ready! The champion never backs down from a challenge!"

"This just in!" the MC suddenly said. "It seems that we're ready to announce the next two duelists for the second duel! First up is our defender. The Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS has surprised us time and time again with his mystical strategies to defeat his opponents. And those strategies helped him reach the #3 spot of the Top 10 Charisma Duelists! Give it up for Stregone!"

One of the screens then showed another area of the central LINK VRAINS hub, where Stregone was floating in the air using his magic, waving to the cameras as the audience cheered.

"I knew it!" Yuhiro stated, raising a fist in the air. "I knew Stregone was dueling today!"

"Are you a fan of Stregone, Yuhiro?" Kusanagi asked him.

"Stregone means a lot to Yuhiro, you know." Roxy answered for Yuhiro, as she took a drink from her Coke. "He's the one who taught him how to play Duel Monsters."

"Interesting..." Yusaku muttered, as he looked at the screen. _Stregone must be that good to be one of the Top 3 Charisma Duelists_, he thought. _Let's see how good of a duelist he is_.

"It's now time to announce our challenger!" the MC continued. "Having climbed to the #6 rank, her fortitude is something not to be messed with! Known as the Dancing Blade, she will trip you up with her skills! I present you all with Jeanne Azaria!"

A woman with long sandstone brown color hair and a blossom bud on the right side of her head, as well as violet color eyes, stood on top of a building, with her arms crossed, facing Stregone. She wore armored plating with rainbow colored lines underneath her short blue and turquoise dress, as well as on her legs and arms. The woman also had a thin jewel-line necklace around her neck.

"She's just like Go." Yusaku said, getting everyone's attention. "She used her first and last name."

"Just to get attention." Yuhiro repeated, crossing his arms. But the question on his mind was: Why?

"A question for you, Sorcerer." Jeanne said to Stregone. "Will your strategies be enough to go head-to-head with the Dancing Blade's fortitude?"

"Only through our duel will we both find the answer, my dear." Stregone replied.

Yuhiro rolled his eyes as a smile appeared on his face. Stregone always was a great actor in and out of LINK VRAINS. What he didn't notice was that Roxy was looking at him, a smirk on her face.

"Duelists in LINK VRAINS!" the MC said. "Are all of you ready?"

Go and Reidrith raised their Duel Disks in the air for confirmation, releasing a beam of energy from them, while Stregone and Jeanne did the same.

"The Data Stream is inbound! I wish you the best of luck in your duels!" the MC said, as Go and Reidrith ran to the edge of the skyscraper, jumped off, and landed on their respective duel boards. Reidrith's duel board had a primary gold and green colored scheme, with purple curved shapes down the middle and white edges on the front and back. The board also had a recess running down its middle that almost split it in half.

Meanwhile, Stregone flew over to the data stream and landed on his duel board, while Jeanne raced to the edge of the building and jumped off, also landing on her duel board in the process. Jeanne's duel board had the colors of the rainbow all over it, as well as two rims around its midsection and an inward turned curve at the front. The duel board also had rainbow highlights running along the center, with two glowing circular pads on the surface.

"Speed Duel!" Go and Reidrith shouted, who were both ready to throwdown.

**Go Onizuka: 4000 LP**

**Reidrith: 4000 LP**

"As the challenger," Reidrith said, "I would like to go first. Is that fine with you, Go Onizuka?"

"It's fine with me, kid." Go replied. "Show me what you got!"

"With pleasure." Reidrith promised. "My turn! I Set one card face-down. Then I activate the Field Spell card, Crusadia Revival! Now all 'Crusadia' Link Monsters on the field gain 500 attack points! Next, I summon Crusadia Reclusia from my hand!" A small, impish mage wearing brown wizard robes along with a tall wizard hat appeared on Reidrith's field. He also wore a large, yellow scarf with a golden ring on each side. In his hand, he carried a large scepter.

**Crusadia Reclusia ATK: 400 DEF: 2000 LV: 3**

"And now, it's time to bring out the circuit of courage!" A Link Portal soon appeared ahead of Reidrith. "The summoning conditions are one 'Crusadia' monster, except Crusadia Magius! I'll set Crusadia Reclusia into the Link Markers!" Reclusia went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come forth! Link 1! Crusadia Magius!" A small, red paladin with a purple cape appeared on Reidrith's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. His hat was adorned with a golden crown with blue jewels, and in each of his hands, he carried a sword.

**Crusadia Magius ATK: 100 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Revival's effect now activates!"

**Crusadia Magius ATK: 100 + 500 = 600**

"I activate the effect of Crusadia Leonis from my hand!" Reidrith continued. "I'm allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand in defense position to a zone a Link Monster points to!" Soon, a blue-skinned lion with a long, blond mane roared as it was summoned to Reidrith's field in the Main Monster Zone Magius was pointing to. Like Magius, the lion also wore a golden crown as it took a defensive position.

**Crusadia Leonis ATK: 1200 DEF: 1600 LV: 4**

"Magius' effect! It gains attack points equal to the attack points of the monster it points to!" Magius was surrounded in a golden aura as he powered up.

**Crusadia Magius ATK: 600 + 1200 = 1800**

"In addition, I can now activate Magius' second effect!" Reidrith continued. "Since an effect monster was Special Summoned to the zone it points to, I can add a 'Crusadia' monster from my deck to my hand!" Using Magius' effect, a card popped out of Reidrith's deck, letting him add Crusadia Draco to his hand.

"Once again, I shall bring out the circuit of courage!" A second Link Portal appeared ahead of Reidrith. "The summoning conditions are two effect monsters, including a 'Crusadia' monster! I'll set Crusadia Magius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Crusadia Leonis into the Link Markers!" Magius went into the top arrowhead, while Leonis went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Crusadia Regulex!" A lion in titanium armor with a blazing mane and two braided ponytails emerged from the Link Portal and appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on Reidrith's field. Blue lines were on the lion's armor, as well as orange spikes on it's head.

**Crusadia Regulex ATK: 1000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"Revival's effect!"

**Crusadia Regulex ATK: 1000 + 500 = 1500**

"I activate the effect of Crusadia Draco from my hand! Just like with Leonis, I can Special Summon this card from my hand in defense position to a zone a Link Monster points to!" Soon, a green dragon wearing golden diamond-like armor, along with a small ornament on its horn appeared on Reidrith's field in the Main Monster Zone Regulex was pointing to. The dragon let out a growl as it took a defensive position.

**Crusadia Draco ATK: 600 DEF: 2000 LV: 4**

"So I'm guessing your Link Monster will not only gain more attack points, but you can now use its ability, correct?" Go asked.

"Correct!" Reidrith confirmed. "My Regulex will gain attack points equal to the attack points of the monster it points to! Also, since an effect monster was Special Summoned to a zone it points to, I can now add a 'Crusadia' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" As a golden aura surrounded Regulex, a card popped out of Reidrith's deck once again, letting him add Crusadia Vanguard to his hand.

**Crusadia Regulex ATK: 1500 + 600 = 2100**

"I activate Draco's effect! Since it was Special Summoned to a zone a Link Monster points to, I can target one 'Crusadia' card in my Graveyard and add it back to my hand!" Using Draco's effect, Reidrith added Crusadia Reclusia right back to his hand.

"And with that, I end my turn." Reidrith concluded.

"That Crusadia Draco," Yuhiro said, as he saw the green-skinned dragon wearing golden diamond-like armor on Reidrith's field. "Why does it look exactly like my Imduk, the World Chalice Dragon, only with armor?"

"You're right." Roxy said, narrowing her eyes on the screen. "That monster looks just like your Link Monster, Yuhiro!"

"Just because it looks like your monster Furutani doesn't mean it's the same one." Yusaku pointed out.

"That may be true," Herald said, pondering this information, "but you cannot deny the connection both monsters have." The four humans nodded their heads in agreement. _This is quite interesting,_ Herald thought. _Let's see how both these duels play out._

"My turn! I draw!" Go said on the screen, as he drew the top card of his deck. _Perfect_, he thought. "First I summon Gouki Suprex from my hand!" A blue ogre with claws on his hands and a long blue tail appeared on his field.

**Gouki Suprex ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

"Suprex's effect activates! As it was Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon a 'Gouki' monster from my hand! Come on out, Gouki Riscorpio!" A red ogre with scorpion claws and a scorpion tail also appeared on Go's field.

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 2300 DEF: 0 LVL: 5**

"And now it's time to mash up my circuit!" Go shot out a burst of energy from his hand, which created a Link Portal ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two 'Gouki' monsters! I'll set Gouki Suprex and Riscorpio into the Link Markers!" Suprex went into the left arrowhead and Riscorpio went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Fly into battle! Link 2! Gouki Jet Ogre!" A purple ogre with red bushy hair joined Go's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. He wore metallic shin guards and had a massive jetpack on it's back. He also carried a musketeer's sword on its right hand.

**Gouki Jet Ogre ATK: 2000 LINK-2 **⬅️⬇️

"The effects of Suprex and Riscorpio both activate from my Graveyard, letting me add 'Gouki' cards besides themselves from my deck to my hand!" Go added, as he used Suprex and Riscorpio's effects to add Gouki Bearhug and a second Gouki Suprex to his hand.

"I activate the Spell card, Gouki Re-Match from my hand! This card lets me Special Summon two 'Gouki' monsters from my Graveyard in defense position, as long as they have different levels. Return, Gouki Suprex and Riscorpio!" The blue and red ogres reappeared on Go's field in defense position, with Jet Ogre pointing to Riscorpio.

**Gouki Suprex ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 2300 DEF: 0 LVL: 5**

"Get ready, Reidrith!" Go said. "Because I'm mashing my circuit for a second time!" A second Link Portal soon appeared ahead of Go. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Gouki' monsters! I'll set Gouki Jet Ogre, which is a Link 2 monster, Suprex, and Riscorpio into the Link Markers!" Jet Ogre split into two tornados of energy that went into the left and right arrowheads, while Riscorpio and Suprex went into the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads respectively.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Show yourself on the battlefield! Link 4! Gouki Destroy Ogre!" A large blue and grey ogre with shields on his wrists and a white cape appeared on Go's field in the right Extra Monster Zone and roared. He had spikes on his shoulders, thighs, and knees, and wore a red and white mask over his face.

**Gouki Destroy Ogre ATK: 2800 LINK-4** ↙️⬅️➡️↘️

"That is one big 'Gouki' monster..." Reidrith muttered, surprised that Go had a second Link 4 monster. He clearly saw Go's duel against the Hanoi lieutenant called Dr. Genome, and had been expecting Gouki the Master Ogre. But to see this instead was indeed unexpected.

"The effect of Jet Ogre activates," Go continued. "As it was sent to the Graveyard, all 'Gouki' monsters I control gain 500 attack points until the end of the turn!" Destroy Ogre was surrounded in a red aura as he powered up.

**Gouki Destroy Ogre ATK: 2800 + 500 = 3300**

"Yo, Destroy Ogre. You want another power up?" Go asked his monster, who nodded in response. "Then I got you covered. I activate the Equip Spell card, Gouki Battle Halberd, and equip it onto Destroy Ogre! With this Equip Spell card, my Destroy Ogre now gains attack points equal to its Link Rating times 500!"

"Say what?" Reidrith said, as Destroy Ogre picked up Gouki Battle Halberd. _Didn't see this coming,_ he thought.

**Gouki Destroy Ogre ATK: 3300 + (500 X 4) = 5300**

"I Set one card face-down. Battle! Gouki Destroy Ogre attacks Crusadia Regulex! Gouki Halberd Smackdown!" Destroy Ogre leaped into the air, intending on destroying Regulex. However...

"Trap card, activate!" Reidrith suddenly said. "Link Barrier! When this card is activated, I can prevent my Link Monster from being destroyed in battle this turn. Also, I can reduce the damage I take equal to its Link Rating times 500. As Regulex is a Link 2 monster, I can reduce the damage by 1000!"

"But you're still taking battle damage porkchop." Go reminded him, as a translucent barrier appeared around Regulex, protecting the armored lion from the attack and weakening Destroy Ogre's attack. However, the attack still caused an explosion, slightly unbalancing Reidrith a bit in the process.

**Reidrith: 4000 – (3200 – 1000) = 1800**

"And Go Onizuka has drawn first blood!" the MC declared. "Within a single turn, Reidrith's life points have been halved in one attack. Can he make a comeback folks?"

"That ends my turn, pal." Go concluded. "Which means Jet Ogre's effect ends, and Destroy Ogre loses 500 attack points."

**Gouki Destroy Ogre ATK: 5300 – 500 = 4800**

"The second duel is just beginning folks!" the MC quickly said. "Let's see what will happen in the duel between Stregone and Jeanne Azaria!"

_At Stregone's duel..._

"Speed Duel!" both duelists shouted in unison.

**Stregone: 4000 LP**

**Jeanne Azaria: 4000 LP**

"Since you're the challenger," Stregone pointed out, "you have the option of going first or second."

"And I do appreciate the offer." Jeanne replied. "Which is why for our duel, I would like to go second."

"Then I shall set the stage for our duel!" Stregone said. "My turn! I activate the Spell card, Terraforming, which lets me add a Field Spell card from my deck to my hand!" Using Terraforming, Stregone added Magical City of Endymion from his deck to his hand. "Next, I activate the Field Spell card, Magical City of Endymion!" As Stregone said this, a pink circle consisting of hieroglyphics surrounded both him and Jeanne before disappearing.

"It's now time for something amazing! With the Scale 1 Dragonpulse Magician and the Scale 8 Dragonpit Magician, I shall set the Pendulum Scale!" On either side of Stregone's field, two pillars of light appeared. In the pillar on his left was a magician with blue eyes and orange hair braided in a long ponytail at the back of his head. He wore a small white crown on his head, along with white magician robes all throughout his body. In his left hand, he carried a small, dual blade.

In the pillar on his right was another magician with short, blond spiky hair and grey eyes. On top of his head was a crown. He wore black and white magician robes all throughout his body, with a coat of fur and some spiked feathers at the back, as well as some armored plating on his chest. In his right hand, he carried a scepter with a tall ring on it.

**Dragonpulse Magician Scale: 1**

**Dragonpit Magician Scale: 8**

"So the rumors are true..." Jeanne said, as she looked at Stregone's field. "You do incorporate Pendulum Summoning in your deck."

"Indeed." Stregone replied. "A magician always uses the unexpected, you know." Going back to the duel, he said, "I activate the Spell card, Pendulum Pot! This card lets me draw cards from my deck equal to the number of cards in my Pendulum zones. Since I have two cards in my Pendulum zones, I can draw two cards!" After explaining, he drew the top two cards of his deck.

"The effect of Magical City of Endymion now activates! Every time a Spell card is activated, I can place a Spell counter on this card when it resolves!" A blue orb went into the Field Spell, giving it a brief, blue glow before disappearing.

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"Swing far, pendulum! Carve the arc of victory!" Stregone chanted. "With the set Pendulum Scale, I can Special Summon monsters between Levels 2 and 7 at the same time! Emerge, Magister of Endymion and Servant of Endymion!" Within moments, a portal opened between the two pillars, where two lights emerged. The lights hit the field and then dissipated, revealing two monsters.

The first light showed a male magician in dark green robes, carrying a medium-sized, hooked scepter. Attached to his robes were orange spell counters, as well as on the magician's gauntlets and robed strands on the back. He wore a small green cap that covered his eyes and short, silver hair.

The second light showed a female magician with long, blond hair, wearing black magician robes with green turquoise highlights. She wore a golden mask on her face, and had green spell counters all throughout her robes. She carried a small, hooked scepter with a large green spell counter powering it up in each hand.

**Magister of Endymion ATK: 1500 DEF: 900 LV: 3 Scale: 8**

**Servant of Endymion ATK: 900 DEF: 1500 LV: 3 Scale: 2**

"Appear, the circuit of sorcery!" A Link Portal soon appeared ahead of Stregone. "The summoning conditions are two Spellcaster monsters! I'll set Magister of Endymion and Servant of Endymion into the Link Markers!" Magister of Endymion went into the bottom-left arrowhead, while Servant of Endymion went into the bottom-left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Rise! Link 2! Daybreaker the Shining Magical Warrior!" A white-robed magician, carrying a sword and shield and wearing a long red cape appeared on Stregone's field in the Extra Monster Zone. Pieces of golden armor were attached to Daybreaker's armor, with Spell counters adorning it. Daybreaker swung his sword, ready for battle.

**Daybreaker the Shining Magical Warrior ATK: 1600 LINK-2** ↙️↘️

"When Daybreaker is Link Summoned," Stregone explained, "I can place a Spell counter on this card. And for every Spell counter, it gains 300 attack points!"

**Daybreaker the Shining Magical Warrior SC: 0 + 1 = 1**

**Daybreaker the Shining Magical Warrior ATK: 1600 + 300 = 1900**

"And with that, I end my turn." Stregone concluded. "You're up, my dear."

"It's my turn! I draw!" Jeanne said, drawing the top card of her deck. She smirked upon looking at it. _Excellent_, she thought. _It's time for the Dancing Blade to make the first blow_. "I activate the Spell card, Unexpected Dai. This card lets me Special Summon a Level 4 or lower normal monster from my deck if I control no monsters on my field!" A card popped out of Jeanne's deck. "Appear, Mekk-Knight Avram!" A young blonde man in gold armor carrying two curved swords emerged on her field.

**Mekk-Knight Avram ATK: 2000 DEF: 0 LV: 4**

"You activated the effect of Magical City of Endymion." Stregone reminded her. "Since you activated a Spell card, it now gains an additional Spell counter."

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 1 + 1 = 2**

"I see." Jeanne said. "In that case, I activate the Continuous-Spell card, World Legacy Key! When this card is activated, I can target one of my banished 'Mekk-Knight' or 'World Legacy' cards and add it to my hand."

"But you don't have any." Stregone said. "What's the point in activating that card if you can't even use its effects? Regardless of your plan, you just activated Magical City of Endymion's effect once again!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 2 + 1 = 3**

"A sorcerer like you should know that every card has multiple uses." Jeanne reminded him. "But allow me to demonstrate. I activate the effect of Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse from my hand! Since there are two or more cards in the same column, I can Special Summon this card to that same column!" Soon, a silver machine with a circle around its body and blue crystals embedded in its armor appeared in attack position.

**Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse ATK: 2400 DEF: 2400 LV: 8**

"So that's your strategy..." Stregone muttered, as he looked at the field using his Duel Disk, which showed World Legacy Key and Daybreaker in the same column. That was how she was able to Special Summon her monster! But now that he knew her strategy, he can whip up something quick on his next turn to counterattack.

"Indigo Eclipse's second effect!" Jeanne continued. "Once per turn, I can move one 'Mekk-Knight' monster I control to another Main Monster Zone. I therefore move Indigo Eclipse to the column on its right!" Indigo Eclipse then shifted to the Main Monster Zone on its right, causing Stregone to scowl in annoyance.

"I activate the effect of Mekk-Knight Blue Sky from my hand! Since there are two or more cards in the same column, I can Special Summon this card to that same column!" And just like before, another mechanical warrior appeared on her field in attack position. Only this time, this monster had gold and blue armor, wore a blue cape, and wielded two curved swords.

**Mekk-Knight Blue Sky ATK: 2000 DEF: 2500 LV: 5**

"I activate Blue Sky's second effect!" Jeanne added. "Since it was summoned from the hand, I can add 'Mekk-Knight' monsters with different names from my deck to my hand equal to the number of cards you have in its column. As you only have one card, I can add a new 'Mekk-Knight' monster from my deck to my hand!" Using Blue Sky's effect, a card popped out of Jeanne's deck, letting her add Mekk-Knight Yellow Star to her hand.

_With the Hanoi gone and the 'Another' threat over at last_, Jeanne thought, _I can finally bring out a special monster that's as beautiful as the rainbow_. "Appear! The circuit of colors!" A second Link Portal appeared ahead of her. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Mekk-Knight monsters! I'll set Mekk-Knight Avram, Mekk-Knight Blue Sky, and Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse into the Link Markers!" Avram went into the bottom-left arrowhead, Blue Sky went into the bottom arrowhead, and Indigo Eclipse went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Emerge and display the colors of the rainbow! Link 3! Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme!" A monster that was the combination of all the Mekk-Knight monsters emerged from the Link Portal and landed onto Jeanne's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme ATK: 3000 LINK-3** ↙️⬇️↘️

Upon seeing Spectrum Supreme on the screen, both Yuhiro and Yusaku experienced a strange feeling. Just... what was that? It sounded like a heartbeat.

"Yo, Yuhiro! Everything okay?" Roxy asked, shaking Yuhiro's shoulder to get him back to reality. Progleo gave him a lick on the face as well.

"Yusaku. Is something wrong?" Kusanagi asked, concerned for his friend.

"I felt something." Yuhiro said, having gotten right back to reality. "Like a... heartbeat."

"I felt it too." Yusaku added, placing a hand on his head. "For some reason, I know that heartbeat. It felt like..."

"A Cyberse monster's." both Yuhiro and Yusaku said at the same time. Which meant one thing: Jeanne had a Cyberse monster in her deck.

"A Cyberse monster?" Herald and Ai both said at the same time, surprised.

"That doesn't make sense." Ai said. "I put the Cyberse World on lock and key before I became an eyeball by the Hanoi. How is there a Cyberse monster in this duel right now?"

"There's only one explanation." Herald theorized, putting a hand underneath his chin. "Perhaps Spectrum Supreme is one of the monsters that escaped with the other Ignis and I before the Hanoi attacked."

"That monster..." Stregone said, as he looked at its stats using his Duel Disk. "It's impressive, but I am curious about something. How did you get your hands on a Cyberse monster?"

"I don't spill all my secrets, you know." Jeanne answered him. "But do know that you will get to experience its beauty firsthand." Going back to the duel, she said, "I activate the effect of Mekk-Knight Yellow Star from my hand! Since there are two or more cards in the same column, I can Special Summon this card to that same column!" A machine with silver and yellow mechanical wings appeared on her field.

**Mekk-Knight Yellow Star ATK: 2200 DEF: 2800 LV: 7**

"I Set one card face-down. Battle! Spectrum Supreme attacks you directly!" Spectrum Supreme then flew over Daybreaker, surprising Stregone.

"How is your monster able to attack me directly?" Stregone demanded, as Spectrum Supreme charged energy in its body.

"If Spectrum Supreme is the only card in its column," Jeanne explained, "then it can attack you directly. In addition, if this card in the Extra Monster Zone points to no monsters, you can't target or destroy it with card effects as well! Go, Rainbow Fall!"

"This is gonna sting." Stregone cursed under his breath, as Spectrum Supreme fired several rainbow blasts of energy at him, causing him to protect his body with his hands.

**Stregone: 4000 – 3000 = 1000 LP**

"That will end my turn." Jeanne concluded. "Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS, how will you respond against my majestic Cyberse monster's attack?"

"And just like that, Jeanne wiped out three quarters of Stregone's life points!" the MC said. "With a Cyberse monster, too!"

"My turn! I draw!" Stregone said, drawing the top card of his deck. _Gonna need more cards if I'm to survive this turn_, he thought. "I activate the effect of Pendulum Pot from my Graveyard! By banishing this card, I can draw cards from my deck equal to the number of cards in my Pendulum zones. Since I have two cards in my Pendulum zones, I can draw two cards!" After explaining, he drew the top two cards of his deck. "And just like before, the effect of Magical City of Endymion activates!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 3 + 1 = 4**

"I activate the Spell card, Cup of Ace! I flip a coin, and depending on the result, one of us gets to draw two cards!" A golden chalice soon appeared on the field, along with a golden coin.

"So whoever wins the coin flip gets an advantage?" Jeanne asked.

"That's correct!" Stregone answered. "A spectacular element to the show, don't you agree?" Thrusting his hand out, he declared, "I flip the coin!" The golden coin flipped in the air, and it landed on heads. Upon seeing the result, Stregone smiled. "Since the coin landed on heads, I get to draw two cards from the top of my deck!" He drew the top two cards of his deck and looked at them.

"Magical City of Endymion's effect!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 4 + 1 = 5**

"Swing far, pendulum! Carve the arc of victory!" Stregone chanted. "With the set Pendulum Scale, I can Special Summon monsters between Levels 2 and 7 at the same time! Emerge, Harmonizing Magician and Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic!" Within moments, a portal opened between the two pillars, where two lights emerged. The lights hit the field and then dissipated, revealing two monsters.

The first monster was a female magician with pink hair that went down to her shoulder blades. She wore white, cyan robes, along with a small cap with three blue orbs. In her hand, she carried a scepter that looked like a tuning fork.

The second monster was a tall magician with black robes that had golden outlines. Attached to his back was a massive, golden ring, and there were a total of 20 purple Spell counters visible on the magician. Endymion had long white horse-like hair and a golden mask with black horns on top. In his right hand was a golden staff, with a massive golden hook.

**Harmonizing Magician ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 4 Scale: 8**

**Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic ATK: 2800 DEF: 1700 LV: 7 Scale: 8**

_Damn it_, Jeanne thought, as she looked at the field using her Duel Disk. Since Stregone Pendulum Summoned Endymion to the column Spectrum Supreme was in, that meant it can no longer attack directly!

"I activate the effect of Harmonizing Magician! Since I Pendulum Summoned this monster from my hand, I can Special Summon a 'Magician' Pendulum monster from my deck to my field in defense position. However, its effects are negated, and is banished once it leaves the field." A card popped out of Stregone's deck. "Come, Timegazer Magician!" A magician with brown hair and dark robes appeared on Stregone's field in the Main Monster Zone Daybreaker was pointing to. There were gold-like elements on each of his upper arms, with chrome plating on the lower section of his arms. On his right arm was a disk that fired out a gold, clock-like blade. Timegazer also wore a black magician's cap with a gold-like element on it, as well as metallic plating on his left leg.

**Timegazer Magician ATK: 1200 DEF: 600 LV: 3 Scale: 8**

"Daybreaker's effect!" Stregone continued. "Once per turn, when a Spellcaster monster is Special Summoned to a zone it points to, I can place another Spell counter on it. And you know what that means, Jeanne!"

**Daybreaker the Shining Magical Warrior SC: 1 + 1 = 2**

**Daybreaker the Shining Magical Warrior ATK: 1900 + 300 = 2200**

"Level 4 Harmonizing Magician tunes Level 3 Timegazer Magician!" Stregone declared, as he pointed his right hand to the sky. A bolt of green lightning struck him as the world greyed out and his two monsters disintegrated into particles. Two rings, one cyan white and one black appeared before turning blue and merging. Seven blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "7" as light surged through the rings.

"The master of magicians awakens!" Stregone chanted. "Show yourself, magician of light and magic! Synchro Summon! Come forth, Arcanite Magician!" A magician wearing white robes with purple lines emerged from the light and was summoned to the middle Main Monster Zone Daybreaker was pointing to. The magician wore a massive white cap with purple lines and pointed spikes on the sides. His orange eyes glowed for a brief moment as he twirled his staff, ready for battle.

**Arcanite Magician ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"I activate Arcanite Magician's first effect! When it's Synchro Summoned, I can place two Spell counters on this card! For every Spell counter on Arcanite Magician, it gains 1000 attack points!" Two blue orbs orbited around Arcanite Magician's staff as he powered up.

**Arcanite Magician SC: 0 + 2 = 2**

**Arcanite Magician ATK: 400 + 2000 = 2400**

"As Timegazer Magician left the field," Stregone added, "it's now banished." He then played another card. "I activate the Equip Spell card, Bound Wand, and equip it onto Arcanite Magician! With this Equip Spell card, Arcanite Magician now gains attack points equal to its level times 100! Since Arcanite Magician's level is seven, it gains 700 attack points!" Arcanite Magician grabbed a wand with a skull and a red crystal with his right hand, which increased his strength.

**Arcanite Magician ATK: 2400 + (100 X 7) = 3100**

"Magical City of Endymion's effect!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 5 + 1 = 6**

"I activate Arcanite Magician's second effect! By removing a Spell counter from anywhere on my field, I can target one card you control and destroy it! I remove a Spell counter from Magical City of Endymion to destroy your face-down card!" Jeanne grit her teeth as a blue orb from Magical City of Endymion went into Arcanite Magician's staff, powering it up before being used by Arcanite Magician to fire a blast of magical energy at her face-down card, turning it into particles.

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 6 - 1 = 5**

"In addition, I can use this effect more than once per turn!" Stregone added, causing Jeanne's eyes to widen in surprise. "As such, I'll remove another Spell counter from Magical City of Endymion to destroy Mekk-Knight Yellow Star!" Another blue orb from Magical City of Endymion went into Arcanite Magician's staff, powering it up before being used by Arcanite Magician to fire another blast of magical energy at Yellow Star, turning it into particles.

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 5 – 1 = 4**

"I'll use Arcanite Magician's effect for a third time! By removing another Spell counter from Magical City of Endymion, I'll target and destroy World Legacy Key!" A third blue orb from Magical City of Endymion went into Arcanite Magician's staff, powering it up before being used by Arcanite Magician to fire another blast of magical energy at World Legacy Key, turning it into particles.

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 4 – 1 = 3 **

"I Set one card face-down. Battle!" Stregone declared, thrusting out his right hand. "Arcanite Magician attacks Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme! Arcane Bound Magic Attack!" Arcanite Magician fired a combined magical blast from both his staff and Bound Wand at Spectrum Supreme, causing an explosion. However, Stregone was surprised to see it still on Jeanne's field.

**Jeanne Azaria: 4000 – 100 = 3900 LP**

"How's your monster still on the field?" Stregone asked, curious as to what happened.

"Because I activated my Skill," Jeanne answered. "It's called Reinforced Fortification. This Skill prevents my monster from being destroyed by battle or card effects once per duel, and I can then add one 'Mekk-Knight' monster from my Graveyard to my hand!" A card then popped out of Jeanne's Graveyard, letting her add Mekk-Knight Yellow Star to her hand.

"So close too." Stregone cursed. "I'll get that monster at my next turn. That I promise. I end my turn."

_At Go's duel..._

"It's my turn! I draw!" Reidrith said, drawing the top card of his deck. _It's time to show Go my true ace monster,_ he thought. "Appear, my circuit of courage!" A Link Portal soon appeared ahead of Reidrith. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters, including a Link monster! I'll set Crusadia Regulex, which is a Link 2 monster, and Crusadia Draco into the Link Markers!" Regulex split into two tornadoes of energy and entered the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads, while Draco went into the top arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The righteous champion shall rise, ready for what's to come! Link 3! Crusadia Equimax!" Soon, a centaur in golden armor with blue lines running through it galloped out of the Link Portal and appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on Reidrith's field. His helmet had four spikes that sprouted out of the back, along with a long, blue tail. Equimax brandished his long blade, ready for battle.

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 2000 LINK-3 **↙️⬆️↘️

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 2000 + 500 = 2500**

For a second time, Yuhiro and Yusaku experienced the same feeling as before. Which meant one thing...

"The opponent Go's facing also has a Cyberse monster..." Yusaku muttered, while putting a hand on his head.

"You sure, buddy?" Kusanagi asked, to which Yusaku nodded his head in confirmation.

"That's the second Cyberse monster we've seen today!" Ai said. "What's next? Everyone gets Cyberse monsters?"

"I find that theory highly unlikely, Ai." Herald stated. "What do you think of this, Yuhiro?"

"Only one thing comes to mind," Yuhiro answered, as he put his hands on his head. Roxy, who was concerned, put a hand on his shoulder to help him steady his balance. "The Hanoi will target them once they learn of this."

Go, who looked at Equimax using his Duel Disk, was shocked. "You have a Cyberse monster? I thought-."

"That Raguel and Playmaker were the only ones with Cyberse monsters?" Reidrith finished for Go. "Well, your theory has been disproved. For Equimax is proof of one."

"How did you get your hands on one?" Go asked, now curious.

"It's simple." Reidrith answered. "I won it in a fundraiser raffle. In fact, that monster, along with a goal, was the reason I got into dueling in the first place."

_Flashback: Two years ago..._

"_You see, Go Onizuka, I come from a family that strives to give back. Even at a young age, I wanted to follow in their footsteps. If it weren't for them, I'd probably be a different person."_

Kiko Tanaka was serving soup at the Den City Soup Kitchen to a group of elders along with his family. With high school coming up, Kiko thought it would be a good idea to get started on his volunteer hours and make an impact on the local community. So with the help of his parents, he was able to sign up and help out serving soup to folks suffering from hunger.

"_One day, however, I was drawn by something. I don't know what it was, but it felt like something was calling to me."_

After Kiko finished serving soup to an elderly lady, he noticed an old man looking at a poster as he ate his meal.

"Could you take over for me, Howard?" Kiko asked the male next to him. "I'm going to go see what that guy's looking at."

"Sure!" Howard replied. "Just don't forget to tell me what you found out."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Kiko then left his post and went over to see what the old man was looking at.

"Hello, sir." Kiko said, getting the old man's attention. "What are you looking at?"

"Oh!" the old man said. "Didn't expect someone to approach me. Please, have a seat." He gestured to the empty seat beside him on the table, to which Kiko sat in. "I'm just glad someone's here to give me company."

"It's no problem." Kiko responded. "That poster. What exactly is it?"

"It's of a paladin," the old man answered. "Do you know what a paladin is?"

Kiko shook his head.

"A paladin is someone who is a champion for a cause. They embody important virtues, such as courage, righteousness, etc. Anyone can be one."

"Really? How so?"

"To become a paladin means you must be willing to serve others," the old man replied. "Like you and the other people serving soup here. You all have the courage to help those in need when no one else will. For that, I thank you."

Kiko was touched. "Thank you, sir."

The old man smiled in gratitude. "I believe the best is to come for you. Keep following the path of the paladin, and it will lead you to places you won't expect." Putting a hand on his shoulder for a brief moment, the old man got up and carried his tray over to be cleaned.

"_A day after I talked with that old man, I saw an announcement for a fundraiser raffle for another charity, and that the winner would get a rare card. When I saw the card on the screen, it looked almost similar to the one on the poster, and it was there that I found my calling. I thought to myself: With that card, I can become a Charisma Duelist to lead others down a path of good, just like my parents did for me. Within days after making my donation, against all odds, I won that card."_

_Flashback End: Present Day..._

"I see," was all Go said. He then smiled. "You're someone who wants to make a difference, whether it's big or small. I can therefore only offer you respect, Reidrith, for fighting as you do. Now show me the full might of your courage!"

A smile appeared on Reidrith's face. "You got it, Go Onizuka! I won't disappoint! I activate the effect of Crusadia Maximus from my hand! Just like with Draco and Leonis, I can Special Summon this card in defense position to a zone a Link Monster points to!" A young man with blond hair and wearing golden armor with blue lines, along with a tattered red cape, appeared on Reidrith's field in defense position. He wore a crown on his forehead, which briefly shined as he took a protective stance.

**Crusadia Maximus ATK: 1600 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"Equimax's effect! It gains attack points equal to the combined original attack points of all monsters it points to! Go, Power Surge!" Equimax held up his sword as he was bathed in a golden aura, powering him up.

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 2500 + 1600 = 4100**

"I activate Equimax's second effect!" Reidrith continued. "By tributing a 'Crusadia' or 'World Legacy' monster it points to, I can target one card you control and negate its effects until the end of the turn! I tribute Maximus to negate Gouki Battle Halberd!" Soon, Maximus turned into yellow particles, which were absorbed into Equimax's sword as he fired a beam of light at Gouki Battle Halberd, negating its effects.

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 4100 – 1600 = 2500**

**Gouki Destroy Ogre: 4800 – 2000 = 2800**

"I hope you were aware that using your monster's effect made it weaker." Go stated. But to his surprise, Reidrith smirked.

"Don't worry, I have a way around it." He thrusted out his right hand. "Like this! I activate my Skill, Courageous Crusade! This card lets me Special Summon one 'Crusadia' monster from my hand, deck or Graveyard to a zone a Link Monster points to!" A card popped out. "Return, Crusadia Maximus!" Maximus reappeared on Reidrith's field, in the Main Monster Zone Equimax was pointing to.

**Crusadia Maximus ATK: 1600 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"Equimax's effect!"

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 2500 + 1600 = 4100**

"I activate Maximus' effect!" Reidrith added. "I can target one 'Crusadia' Link monster I control, and any battle damage it inflicts is doubled! In exchange, I can't attack with any other monsters."

"That's not good..." Go muttered.

"I Set one card face-down. Battle!" Reidrith declared. "Crusadia Equimax attacks you directly! And thanks to Maximus, all battle damage is doubled this turn! Courageous Charge!" Equimax charged forward with blinding light and slashed Destroy Ogre, causing a massive explosion that forced Go onto one knee.

**Go Onizuka: 4000 – (1300 X 2) = 1400 **

"Amazing!" the MC said. "And with a Cyberse monster, Reidrith struck back hard! Is it the end of Go Onizuka folks?"

"IT'S NOT OVER YET!" Go suddenly shouted, as he stood back up, laughing. "I have got to say, Reidrith. Your dueling is getting me pumped up. So allow me to respond back in kind. I activate my Skill, Pain and Gain! All 'Gouki' monsters that were destroyed in battle this turn return to my field from the Graveyard!" Immediately, Destroy Ogre returned to Go's field in the middle Main Monster Zone.

**Gouki Destroy Ogre ATK: 2800 LINK-4** ↙️⬅️➡️↘️

"In that case, I end my turn." Reidrith concluded. _Forgot that Go had his Skill available_, he thought. But with my face-down card, everything should be okay.

"My turn! I draw!" Go said, drawing the top card of his deck. _It's time for the finale_, Go thought. But before he could play a card, Reidrith suddenly spoke up.

"Continuous-Trap card, activate! Crusadia Vanguard! This card has two effects. The first effect lets me tribute a 'Crusadia' or 'World Legacy' monster on my field to Special Summon a different 'Crusadia' or 'World Legacy' monster from my deck or Graveyard. I tribute Maximus to Special Summon World Legacy – World Crown from my deck!" For a second time, Maximus turned into yellow particles. Then a massive purple crown, with six blue jewels took his place, and was Special Summoned to the Main Monster Zone Equimax was pointing to.

**World Legacy – World Crown ATK: 2000 DEF: 2000 LV: 6**

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: (4100 – 1600) + 2000 = 4500 **

"Oh, and just so that you were aware," Reidrith added, "while I control a 'Crusadia' Link monster, you can only target Link monsters for attacks." But to Reidrith's surprise, Go smirked. "Huh? Why are you smirking?"

"You'll find out." Go replied. He then gestured to his field. "Destroy Ogre's effect! You get to Special Summon one or two monsters from your Graveyard, and then I can Special Summon that same amount of non-Link 'Gouki' monsters to Main Monster Zones he points to!"

_I could use World Crown's effect_, Reidrith thought, puzzled by Destroy Ogre's effect, _but I want to see what he does first_. "Very well, Go Onizuka. I'll play along. With the effect of Destroy Ogre, I'll Special Summon Crusadia Draco and Leonis in defense position to my field!" At Reidrith's command, the green dragon wearing golden diamond-like armor and with a small ornament on its horn, as well as the blue-skinned lion with a long, blond mane returned to his field in defense position.

**Crusadia Draco ATK: 600 DEF: 2000 LV: 4**

**Crusadia Leonis ATK: 1200 DEF: 1600 LV: 4**

"As you Special Summoned two monsters, I can Special Summon two non-Link 'Gouki' monsters from my Graveyard! Return, Gouki Suprex and Riscorpio!" The blue and red ogres reappeared on Go's field in defense position, with Destroy Ogre pointing to Riscorpio and Suprex. Unfortunately, Equimax was also pointing to Suprex.

**Gouki Suprex ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

**Gouki Riscorpio ATK: 2300 DEF: 0 LVL: 5**

"Have you forgotten about Equimax's effect?" Reidrith said. "It gains attack points equal to the _combined_ original attack points of all monsters it points to! Go, Power Surge!" Equimax held up his sword as he was bathed in a golden aura, powering him up.

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 4500 + 1800 = 6300**

"Is Go Onizuka nuts?" Roxy asked, shocked at what he just did.

"No." Yusaku answered her. "He's planning for something big."

Yuhiro couldn't help but agree with him as he looked at the screen.

"There's a saying, Reidrith. 'No guts, no glory'. And I'm about to show you what I mean right now!" Go declared. "I mash up my circuit!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of Go. "The summoning conditions are two 'Gouki' monsters! I'll set Gouki Suprex and Riscorpio into the Link Markers!" Suprex went into the left arrowhead and Riscorpio went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Fly into battle! Link 2! Gouki Jet Ogre!" A purple ogre with red bushy hair joined Go's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. He wore metallic shin guards and had a massive jetpack on it's back. He also carried a musketeer's sword on its right hand.

**Gouki Jet Ogre ATK: 2000 LINK-2 **⬅️⬇️

"And since I Link Summoned Jet Ogre to Extra Monster Zone, Equimax doesn't get its attack boost." Reidrith gritted his teeth as Equimax's strength went down.

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 6300 – 1800 = 4500**

"The effects of Suprex and Riscorpio both activate from my Graveyard, letting me add 'Gouki' cards besides themselves from my deck to my hand!" Go added, as he used Suprex and Riscorpio's effects to add Gouki Grit and Gouki Rematch to his hand.

"I summon Gouki Suprex from my hand!" A second blue ogre with claws on his hands and a long blue tail appeared on Go's field, in the Main Monster Zone Equimax was pointing to.

**Gouki Suprex ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LVL: 4**

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 4500 + 1800 = 6300**

"Suprex's effect activates! As it was Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon a 'Gouki' monster from my hand! Come on out, Gouki Bearhug!" A brown ogre wearing bear skin all over his body appeared on Go's field. The ogre also had bear claws on his hands as well.

**Gouki Bearhug ATK: 2400 DEF: 0 LVL: 6**

"Bearhug's effect!" Go continued. "As it was Special Summoned by the effect of a 'Gouki' card, or Normal Summoned, I can target one monster you control and make its attack points become half its original attack points! I choose Equimax!" Bearhug leapt forward and slashed Equimax, cutting his strength in half.

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: (2000 / 2) + 500 + 2000 + 1800 = 5300**

"Now I have everything I need to mash up my circuit for a second and final time!" A Link Portal soon appeared ahead of Go. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Gouki' monsters! I'll set Gouki Jet Ogre, which is a Link 2 monster, Suprex, and Bearhug into the Link Markers!" Jet Ogre split into two tornadoes of energy that went into the top and bottom arrowheads. Suprex and Bearhug, on the other hand, went into the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads respectively.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Demonstrate your might in this duel! Link 4! Gouki the Master Ogre!" An ogre with mostly blue armor, along with golden shoulder pads, gauntlets, and leg guards, appeared on Go's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. He spread his blue cape, swung his massive axe, and roared at Reidrith.

**Gouki the Master Ogre ATK: 2800 LINK-4** ↙️⬆️⬇️↘️

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 5300 – 1800 = 3500**

"You brought out your other Link 4 monster?" Reidrith realized, as he looked at Destroy Ogre and The Master Ogre on Go's field. He quickly regained his composure. "But still, thanks to Vanguard, you can only target Link Monsters for attacks."

"Is that so?" Go asked, smirking. "Bearhug's effect! I now get to add a 'Gouki' card with a different name from my deck to my hand!" Using Bearhug's effect, Go added Gouki Finishing Hold to his hand.

"Jet Ogre's effect! As it was sent to the Graveyard, all 'Gouki' monsters I control gain 500 attack points until the end of the turn!" The Master Ogre was surrounded in a red aura as he powered up.

**Gouki the Master Ogre ATK: 2800 + 500 = 3300**

"I activate The Master Ogre's effect!" Go continued. "I can return all 'Gouki' monsters to my hand that The Master Ogre points to, and for each 'Gouki' monster returned to my hand by this effect, I can target and negate the effects of that many cards until the end of the turn! I return Destroy Ogre to target and negate Crusadia Equimax's effect!" Destroy Ogre turned into yellow particles, which went into The Master Ogre's axe. The Master Ogre then swung a blade of energy from his axe at Equimax, but...

"Not so fast!" Reidrith suddenly said. "World Crown's effect! Since a monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck activated its effect, I can tribute this card to negate the activation and destroy it!" World Crown fired six blasts of energy at The Master Ogre, destroying it as the crown self-destructed in the process. "And with that, your strongest monsters are finished!"

But all Go did in response was smirk.

"Did you really think that would stop me?" Go asked, causing Reidrith to widen his eyes in surprise. "I activate the Equip Spell card, Gouki Grit. This card lets me target a 'Gouki' monster that was destroyed this turn, and then Special Summon it back from my Graveyard by equipping it with this card. Return, The Master Ogre!" At Go's command, The Master Ogre reappeared on his field in the middle Main Monster Zone.

**Gouki the Master Ogre ATK: 2800 LINK-4** ↙️⬆️⬇️↘️

"And since Equimax is no longer pointing to World Legacy – World Crown, that means it loses its attack boost!" Go added.

"Oh no!" Reidrith said, shocked as he saw Equimax's strength drop back down to 1500.

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 3500 – 2000 = 1500**

"Time for the final card!" Go said, a big smile on his face. "I activate the Spell card, Gouki Finishing Hold! This card increases the attack of a 'Gouki' Link Monster I control by 1000 times its Link Rating until the end of the turn! In addition, it can also inflict piercing battle damage! However, I can only attack with 'Gouki' monsters for the rest of this turn! I target The Master Ogre!" The Master Ogre was enveloped in a golden aura as he powered up.

**Gouki the Master Ogre ATK: 2800 + (1000 X 4) = 6800**

"That's enough attack points to end the duel!" Reidrith realized, now learning that there was nothing he could do to survive.

"The Master Ogre's effect!" Go said. "When it battles, it must attack the monster with the highest attack points first. But in exchange, he can attack every monster you control once each!" Reidrith's eyes widened in shock as Go continued talking. "Rest assured, this duel will end in a single strike."

He then thrusted out his right hand. "Battle! The Master Ogre attacks Crusadia Equimax! Gouki Master Beatdown!" The Master Ogre charged at Equimax and kicked him further in the head. The Master Ogre leaped further into the air, then used his cloak to form a funnel that struck Equimax, destroying him. Reidrith was sent flying off his duel board as his monster was destroyed.

**Reidrith: 1800 – 5300 = 0**

"The first duel has concluded!" The MC shouted to the crowd. "The winner is Go Onizuka, the King of LINK VRAINS!"

Go raised his hands in the air as the crowd cheered for him on screen.

"So Go really has upgraded his 'Gouki' deck." Yuhiro said, looking at the replay of The Master Ogre's final attack.

"Upgrade? He gave his deck a sports drink for all I care!" Ai said, causing Yuhiro to roll his eyes.

"While I expected Go to win," Yusaku said, "I wonder about Stregone. How will he make a comeback against someone who can attack directly?"

"We're about to find out." Kusanagi said, as the humans and AI's turned their heads to continue watching the second duel.

_At Stregone's duel..._

"My turn! I draw!" Jeanne said, drawing the top card of her deck. Upon looking at it, she realized she drew the card she needed. "I activate the Equip Spell card, World Legacy Core from my hand!" The card showed a power core being attached to Mekk-Knight Blue Sky, as it was powered up in a laboratory by Green Horizon. "By equipping this card to a 'Mekk-Knight' monster I control, the equipped monster gains 1000 attack points!" A power core soon appeared on the field and attached itself to Spectrum Supreme's head, powering it up.

**Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme ATK: 3000 + 1000 = 4000**

_I may not be able to attack directly_, Jeanne thought, _but I can still end this duel here and now!_ She thrusted out her hand. "Battle! Spectrum Supreme attacks Daybreaker, the Shining Magical Warrior! Rainbow Fall!" Spectrum Supreme flew high into the air and fired a barrage of rainbow lasers at Daybreaker. However...

"Trap card, activate!" Stregone suddenly said. "Shift! When you target exactly one monster I control for an attack, or for a Spell or Trap card effect, I can target a monster I control and change the target to it instead!" Jeanne's eyes widen in surprise upon hearing that. "Therefore, I change the attack target to Arcanite Magician!" Shift fired a beam at Spectrum Supreme that caused it to fire instead at Arcanite Magician, turning him into yellow particles as Stregone shielded himself from the blast.

"That was too close..." Stregone muttered, as his life points dropped to 100.

**Stregone: 1000 – 900 = 100 LP**

"I activate the effect of Bound Wand! Since the equipped monster was destroyed by battle or card effect and it was sent to the Graveyard as a result, I can Special Summon that monster right back to my field! Come back, Arcanite Magician!" At Stregone's command, Arcanite Magician reappeared on his field.

**Arcanite Magician ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"I end my turn," Jeanne concluded. _Had I summoned Yellow Star_, she thought, _I could have won there and then. But, just like always, I was too focused on being perfect._ She smiled as she remembered something her parents used to tell her, many years ago.

_Flashback: Seven years ago..._

"Ow!" Jeanne said, as she fell on the basement floor. She was practicing for a dance recital that was in two weeks. It had to be perfect. Otherwise...

"Honey?" her mother called from upstairs. "Can we speak to you for a minute?"

"Ugh. Fine!" Jeanne replied, as she picked up her towel and headed upstairs. This really wasn't the right time for her parents to interrupt her. They knew that the dance recital was important to her, and promised that they wouldn't interrupt unless it was an emergency.

But when Jeanne came upstairs, she was surprised to see her father, waiting for her at the kitchen table.

"There you are, pumpkin," he said, adjusting his slim glasses. "Please. Follow me." He grabbed a small bag that was beside him as he stood up.

"This better be important, dad." Jeanne muttered, as she followed him to the backyard. When she got there, she realized her parents set up a small campfire with food. "What's all this?"

"Please have a seat, dear," her mother motioned her to the couch, to which Jeanne complied. Her mother then handed her a smore. "And have a treat! You've been working on this recital all day. If you don't have take a break, you'll burn out." But Jeanne didn't accept the treat.

"You don't get it, mom." Jeanne muttered, before raising her voice. "My friends and boyfriend are attending this recital. If I screw up even one bit, then people will see me as a failure, and hate me for it."

"Is that what you honestly believe?" her dad asked, sitting down beside her. "Your boyfriend and your friends love you, flaws and all." Seeing that it didn't work, he tried another trick. "Take a look at the rainbow in the sky."

Jeanne did just that, but was confused. "What about it?"

"You know what rainbows represent? Even as they display their beauty, they're also displaying peace and serenity," her father answered, a smile on his face. "They often bring good fortune."

"How is a rainbow going to bring me good fortune?" Jeanne asked, now clearly annoyed.

"What your father meant," Jeanne's mother said, as she took a bite of her smore, "is that if you're at peace with yourself, you'll be able to shine a light that you never shone before. It may be frightening at first, but overtime, you'll become more confident in yourself and your abilities."

"I know that your birthday is a few days away," her father said, pulling out a gift from the bag, "but I think it will help you."

"Jonathan, are you sure?" Jeanne's mother asked him. But Jonathan simply smiled.

"Of course, Brenda." Jonathan replied, giving the gift to Jeanne. "Here, sweetie. Happy early 24th."

Jeanne opened the gift with excitement, and when she looked at it, it was a Duel Monsters card!

"What card is this?" Jeanne asked.

"Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme." Jonathan answered. "While it represents a bunch of weapons combined, the monster is at peace with itself, and can shine a beautiful light, even in a duel, wouldn't you agree?"

Jeanne nodded. "Thank you, dad." She wrapped her arms around Jonathan, causing him to chuckle.

"Anytime, sweetie. Anytime."

_Flashback End: Present day..._

_With your advice, father, mother_, Jeanne thought, _I was able to become confident with my failures, and use them to push me in practicing for that recital. And by the time it arrived, I performed way better than I would have if I focused on being perfect. That lesson you taught me also inspired me to become a Charisma Duelist so I can spread your teaching to others and help them as you helped me. _

"What exactly are you smiling about, o' dancing blade?" Stregone asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"A lesson that I came to my mind a long time ago, in terms of this duel." Jeanne answered. "I was too focused on making the final blow perfect. As a result, I became too overconfident, and I wasn't at peace with myself." She turned to Stregone. "Now then, Sorcerer. Let's see how your turn will determine the climax of this duel!"

"With pleasure!" Stregone replied. "My turn! I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Miracle Synchro Fusion! This card lets me perform a Fusion Summon by banishing monsters from my field or Graveyard that are listed on a Fusion Monster in my Extra Deck!"

"What?" Jeanne said, her eyes widening in surprise.

"I banish Arcanite Magician on my field, and Servant of Endymion in my Graveyard to Fusion Summon!" Stregone said, as Arcanite Magician disintegrated into red particles of energy, while Servant of Endymion emerged from Stregone's Graveyard as blue particles of energy. The blue and red particles of energy then swirled into a vortex. Two tornadoes of energy shot upwards and merged to form a magenta whirlwind.

"The master of magicians shall unlock the restraints of his power, and emerge as something entirely new!" Stregone chanted. "Fusion Summon! Come forth, Level 10! Supreme Arcanite Magician!" A magician wearing purple and brown robes along with a white cape emerged from the portal and landed onto Stregone's field in the Main Monster Zone Daybreaker was pointing to. Unlike Arcanite Magician and Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode, Supreme Arcanite Magician's robes also had armored plating on them, along with large, green Spell counters as well. He spun his staff around in front of him, ready for battle.

**Supreme Arcanite Magician ATK: 1400 DEF: 2800 LV: 10**

"I activate Supreme Arcanite Magician's effect! When it's Fusion Summoned, I can place two Spell counters on this card! For every Spell counter on Supreme Arcanite Magician, it gains 1000 attack points!" Two blue orbs orbited around Supreme Arcanite Magician as he powered up.

**Supreme Arcanite Magician SC: 0 + 2 = 2**

**Supreme Arcanite Magician ATK: 1400 + 2000 = 3400**

"Magical City of Endymion's effect!"

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 3 + 1 = 4**

"I activate Daybreaker's effect!" Stregone continued. ""Once per turn, when a Spellcaster monster is Special Summoned to a zone it points to, I can place another Spell counter on it!"

**Daybreaker the Shining Magical Warrior SC: 2 + 1 = 3**

**Daybreaker the Shining Magical Warrior ATK: 2200 + 300 = 2500**

"It's time for Supreme Arcanite Magician's second effect! Once per turn, I can remove a Spell counter from anywhere on my field to either target and destroy a card on your field, or draw a card. I choose the first effect, where I'll I remove a Spell counter from Magical City of Endymion to target and destroy World Legacy Core!" Jeanne widened her eyes in surprise as a blue orb from Magical City of Endymion went into Supreme Arcanite Magician's staff, powering him up before being used by Supreme Arcanite Magician to fire a blast of magical energy at Mekk-Knight Power, turning it into particles and draining it of its newfound power.

**Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme ATK: 4000 – 1000 = 3000**

**Magical City of Endymion SC: 4 – 1 = 3**

"Battle!" Stregone declared. "Supreme Arcanite Magician attacks Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme! Arcane Scepter Blast!" Supreme Arcanite Magician spun his staff in front of him before firing a blast of purple, magical energy at Spectrum Supreme, destroying it and slightly unbalancing Jeanne.

**Jeanne Azaria: 3900 – 400 = 3500 LP**

"Your turn, Daybreaker! Attack Jeanne directly!" Daybreaker leapt forward and slashed Jeanne, lowering her life points further.

**Jeanne Azaria: 3500 – 2500 = 1000 LP**

"This duel is over! Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic attacks you directly! Magical Overload!" The Spell counters on Endymion glowed as he raised his staff into the air and fired a blast of magical energy at Jeanne, causing her to fall off her duel board and land on a nearby skyscraper.

**Jeanne Azaria: 1000 – 2800 = 0**

"And the second duel is over!" The MC shouted at the top of his lungs. "The winner is Stregone! With a spectacular comeback too, I might add!"

"Well done, Quinton." Yuhiro muttered, as he smiled to himself.

"What do you think, Yusaku?" Kusanagi asked him.

"He definitely lives up to his title as 'Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS'." Yusaku answered. "The fact he's able to wield four types of summoning methods makes him a formidable opponent indeed."

"And worthy of a profile update, that's for sure." Roxy added, as she stood up and stretched. Yusaku and Kusanagi turned to her at the mention of 'profile update'.

"Profile update?" Yusaku asked.

"It's a list of-." Yuhiro was about to explain, but Roxy pulled him by the ear to shut him up.

"It's a documented list of duelists Yuhiro dueled." Roxy continued for him, ignoring his pleas for her to stop pulling on his ear. "We take notes of the duelists Yuhiro dueled and their dueling strategies, so that if we face them again, we'll be more prepared."

"So it's like a documentary of reports?" Kusanagi asked, to which Roxy nodded. "Interesting. Maybe I'll start one like that. Only I'll call them Kusanagi's Khronicles. Yusaku and I would love to contribute to your list."

"Uh, Kusanagi, a word?" Yusaku asked him, a look of concern on his face. As though he understood what was on Yusaku's mind, he stood up along with Yusaku, and the two of them went elsewhere to talk.

Meanwhile, Roxy finally let go of Yuhiro's ear, letting him breathe in relief.

"What was that for?" Yuhiro asked, as he held his ear with his right hand.

"That was so only _I_ can share my ingenious plan to Yusaku and Kusanagi, as well as for giving me a heart attack earlier!" Roxy replied, sitting down again.

"Do you always do that?" Ai asked her.

"She does it all the time, Ai." Yuhiro replied for her.

"It could be worse, Yuhiro." Progleo interjected, causing Roxy to laugh.

"That is true, Progleo," she said. "I could tease him about his future girlfriend one day!" That statement caused Yuhiro to blush red as she laughed.

"Future girlfriend?" Ai asked, looking at Yuhiro. "For Furutani? Ha! Like that will happen! NEVER EVER EVER!"

_What have I done to deserve this_, Yuhiro wondered, as Roxy and Ai continued to laugh at Yuhiro's misery.

Meanwhile, Herald was deep in thought, as he watched the replay of the duel between Stregone and Jeanne. _Stregone has access to many summoning methods, including the forgotten method called Pendulum Summoning_. _Perhaps that summoning method is the specific advantage we need against the Knights of Hanoi. However_, he turned to a laughing Ai, _I probably won't be able to make them alone_.

"We're back!" Kusanagi announced, as he and Yusaku walked to the table where the other humans and two AI's were.

"Roxy," Yusaku said, getting her attention as he sat down in his seat, along with Kusanagi in his respective seat. "Kusanagi and I talked about it, and although we have concerns with this idea of yours, we decided to collaborate with you and Furutani in sharing our information. However, we have three conditions."

"Name them," Roxy replied, crossing her arms.

"One: You will share any information you have on the Knights of Hanoi with us, as well as information regarding any other areas of interest we may have." Roxy's face paled for a moment, as well as Yuhiro's, but then she nodded.

"Alright. What's your next condition?"

"Two: As a hacker yourself, you must know that keeping information secure is important. Once you've interviewed us regarding opponents I faced and their dueling strategies, you must delete the interview asap and ensure that the information obtained is secure."

"Don't worry about it," Roxy told him. "No one has been able to break into my systems since I set them up. You have my word."

Yusaku nodded. However, he turned to Yuhiro before continuing. "Three: I want Furutani's word that he'll stop his assignment for Ai. If he gives his word, and you abide by our other conditions, we'll be willing to take part in your reports."

Yuhiro turned to face Yusaku. "Fujiki. A week ago, Roxy and I agreed to end our working relationship with Monty once the Hanoi is defeated. I give you my word that I don't intend to hand over Ai to him, nor anyone else. After all, he's your Ignis. You can decide what to do with him once this is all over."

"So you're no longer going to capture me for your boss?" Ai asked Yuhiro, to which he nodded. "Whew! I thought I was a goner."

"A smart decision, Yuhiro." Herald said, turning to face him. "You're doing the right thing."

"Well, I'm glad both parties worked things out." Kusanagi said, standing up and stretching.

"Yup!" Roxy agreed, as she and Yuhiro stood up. While Yuhiro put Progleo down on the ground and went over to pick up his Duel Disk from the table, Roxy continued talking. "Let's do this again some time."

"Only next time, let's do it at Café Matsuo," Kusanagi added, smiling at the two. "After all, Yuhiro here promised you'd make some free burgers."

Roxy smiled back. "It'd be my pleasure." She turned to Yusaku. "I'm looking forward to your interview, Fujiki. And don't worry. I will keep my end of the bargain, and so will Yuhiro here."

"Alright, then." Yusaku nodded. He turned to Yuhiro. "See you tomorrow at school, Furutani."

"Same here, Fujiki." Yuhiro replied, as he and Roxy, along with Progleo, turned around and walked away from Café Nagi.

"Those were some amazing duels," Progleo commented.

"Yeah." Yuhiro agreed with the cub. "I didn't expect Stregone to perform a Fusion Summon. Did you, Roxy?"

"Nope." Roxy replied, taking a drink from her coke. "It really did force Stregone to think outside of the box, don't you think Yuhiro?"

"There is something that bothers me." Herald said, putting a hand on his chin. "It's regarding Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria."

"You mean their Cyberse monsters?" Yuhiro assumed.

"Yes," Herald confirmed. "Those idiots must know that the Hanoi's watching as well as the public, right?" Yuhiro and Roxy nodded. "Therefore, it would be a good idea to keep tabs on them, in case something were to happen to them. I've already advised Ai on the situation, and he'll _hopefully_ tell Fujiki and Kusanagi."

"Why do you say 'hopefully'?" Roxy asked.

"Because Ai sometimes forgets to do tasks." Herald answered her. "And sometimes, he just decides to be lazy instead of doing them. One time, Ai got in trouble, and the Water Ignis pummeled him and Linkuriboh to the ground for being lazy and not doing his job."

"You know what? That makes a lot of sense, Herald." Yuhiro commented. And the three of them laughed as they pictured a scared Ai getting disciplined by the Water Ignis. Yuhiro, however, stopped laughing. _If the Hanoi's watching_, he thought, _Watchman must be too. And pretty soon, he'll have another assignment regarding the appearance of the new Cyberse monsters_.

_At the Hanoi Stronghold..._

"So it appears Stregone has gotten much stronger," Lord Kazuma commented, as the monitor showed Stregone Fusion Summoning Supreme Arcanite Magician. "I wonder how this 'pretender' will do against a master of magicians like myself."

"You're interested in dueling him?" Specter asked, turning his head to look at Lord Kazuma.

"He's intriguing, I have to admit." Lord Kazuma confirmed. "While he utilizes multiple summoning methods, he won't be able to defeat me. Not after the 'special' time I spent upgrading my deck."

"Are you referring to your 'discovery'?" Specter inquired. But all Specter got in response was a hush.

"A master of magicians always has a secret trick." Lord Kazuma told him. "Now more than ever, we'll need every advantage we can get against Raguel and Playmaker."

"Lord Kazuma makes a strong and valid point." Revolver stated, materializing into the stronghold and getting both Lord Kazuma and Specter's attention. "If our enemies are getting stronger, we need to respond by getting stronger too."

"Master Revolver," Specter said, bowing before the Hanoi leader. "I didn't expect you to finish gathering energy for the Tower this quickly."

"When you have a bunch of pawns to get rid of," Revolver said, smirking as he walked to where the others were, "you find that the task is much easier than you expected. Anyhow, there's something else I need to discuss with the both of you." After pressing a few buttons on his Duel Disk, two more monitors appeared, showing Crusadia Equimax and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme.

"Ah, yes." Specter said, looking at both monsters. "The emergence of two new Cyberse monsters. They somehow slipped under our noses when we launched our attack on the Cyberse World."

"It probably has to do something with Arshad Saito." Revolver theorized. "He must have warned the Ignis beforehand. However, most of them didn't listen to him, while a few evacuated prior to the attack. That must be how Raguel got his Ignis." He narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He hated it when they missed a crucial detail.

"Shall we go eliminate them and their duelists?" Lord Kazuma asked, turning to Revolver. "We not only know their identities both in real life and in the network, but we'll handle it quietly too."

"No, Lord Kazuma." Revolver immediately answered, causing Lord Kazuma to gasp in shock. "If we do, we'll only expose ourselves. We must remain hidden until the Tower is complete. There's also something else I wanted to discuss." He pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk once again, causing a monitor to appear, showing a blue core with two rings, one above the other, orbiting around it. There were also two yellow ribbons beside the core in a zig-zag formation.

"The readings on the monitor show that it's a Cyberse monster..." Specter mused, looking at the monster.

"The monitor reads it as World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy. And you're correct, Specter. It's a Cyberse monster." Revolver added. "In fact, it's the most powerful one to date."

"If we were to obtain it..." Lord Kazuma began.

"Then we can launch the Tower ahead of schedule." Revolver finished for him.

"My apologies for interrupting, gentlemen." Infearno said, as he materialized into the stronghold.

"It's no problem, Infearno." Revolver replied, turning to Infearno as the man approached them. "I assume you bring good news?"

"Indeed." Infearno answered. "I've made contact with a client who's willing to help us. However, he wants to meet us in the real world."

"And where exactly in the real world are we meeting?" Specter inquired, walking to where Revolver was. "After all, what if this client we're meeting has other plans for us?"

"That is why we're meeting at a neutral location." Infearno replied, as he pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk. Four holographic tickets then briefly appeared above his Duel Disk. "Gentlemen. How would you like to go to the Den City Casino tomorrow night?"

**Card Gallery**

_World Legacy Core (Equip-Spell card)_

_Effect: Target 1 'Mekk-Knight' monster you control; equip it with this card. It gains 1000 attack points. If this card is in your GY: You can discard 1 'Mekk-Knight' or 'World-Legacy' card from your hand to the GY, and if you do, add this card back to your hand. _

**QOTC**

_Which of the new Charisma Duelists that appeared in this chapter would have a likely chance of holding their own against Raguel or Playmaker?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 21: Casino Royale. Needing allies, the remaining Hanoi members head to the Den City Casino to meet Infearno's client. However, curious about their strength, the client makes a proposal... _

**Author's Notes**

Hi, everyone! I hoped that you enjoyed both of the Speed Duels in this chapter. I'll recap what happened in this chapter before announcing the winners and when the next chapter will come out. Credit goes to HunterHQ for helping me out on the Speed Duel with Go.

The main thing that happened in this chapter were Go Onizuka's and Stregone's Speed Duels. Both Speed Duels had them face opponents who had a special Cyberse monster, in this case, Crusadia Equimax and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme.

The name of Go's opponent is Reidrith, also known as Kiko Tanaka, while Stregone's opponent is Jeanne Azaria. To bring them to life in this chapter, as well as the story, I provided them with an origin each as to why they duel and how they got their Cyberse cards. Oh, and if you're wondering if they'll appear again, I'm letting you all know that they will appear in this mini arc.

Kiko Tanaka, at a young age, came from a family that strived to give back. One day, when he worked at a soup kitchen, he met and spoke with an old man, who told him about what a paladin was and what they do. A day after Kiko spoke to the old man, he saw an announcement for a fundraiser raffle for another charity, and that the winner would get a rare card. Within days after making his donation, against all odds, he won Crusadia Equimax. It was there he accepted his calling as a Charisma Duelist.

Jeanne Azaria, on the other hand, is a professional dancer and Charisma Duelist, who struggles with self-worth. What drove her to becoming a Charisma Duelist is the advice her parents told her fifteen years ago. They taught her that by being at peace, she'll be able to gain confidence in herself and her abilities. To help her with this, her father showed her a rainbow, which symbolized peace and serenity. He also gave her Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme, which is what helped her for her dance recital, as well as give her the motivation to become a Charisma Duelist.

Meanwhile, the Hanoi, who have been watching the duels, regroup and discuss what happened regarding the appearances of the two new Cyberse monsters. The end of the chapter then has Infearno informing them that he's made contact with a potential client. Who do you think this client is? You'll find out next chapter.

Now onto announcements. Okay, I just want to give you a friendly reminder regarding when I release chapters. Due to my work schedule, and depending on how long a chapter is and what will be covered, I usually am able to release a chapter within 1-2 weeks. A profile on Roxy's reports usually takes me about 1-3 days max. I'm letting you know this so that you will all understand that I'm not slacking off. Before I release Chapter 21, I want to release the profiles for Demeter, Reidrith, and Jeanne Azaria, as well as updated ones for Go and Stregone. The profiles for Playmaker, Revolver, Faust, and Percival will come after Chapter 21.

All right, it's time to announce the winners. **Please note: The numbers were chosen at random using a random number decider**. And the winners are... **Numbers 222 and 250**! If these are your numbers, then congratulations! You won the contest! I'll be using your card submissions at some point in the story. As for other participants, there may be a chance for your submissions to appear in the story. If that's the case, I'll send you a PM asking for your permission.

Thank you for reading Chapter 20 of Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. What did you think of the duels? Are you excited for the Hanoi to have the main spotlight next chapter? What is Herald exactly planning?

The answers to your burning questions will be answered, as the story must go on. Stay tuned, and see you next time!


	21. Chapter 21: Casino Royale

**Responses to Reviews**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Noobmaster, Guest, ZeroMK7, Electriuser, E.T. 2000, Portal, Decode Talker, and Guest for reviewing Chapter 20 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everyone! Before I get to answering reviews, I want to thank everyone for the positive reviews. I'm glad that everyone is excited for the Cyberse Hunt arc, which will lead right into the Tower of Hanoi arc. Also, if you're interested, I want to let you know that I recently updated Roxy's Reports, which contain the duelists from Chapter 20.

And with that, let's answer some reviews:

HunterHQ: It's obvious that Ai can fly, but remember, he's locked inside of Yusaku's Duel Disk, so he can't fly _by himself_. And to answer your question regarding the tower, it doesn't have enough energy yet. There also are other things that the Tower needs before it can be launched (think of it like a new building if you're confused). As for your theory, you never know.

Noobmaster: Anything can happen. As for your idea, I might actually implement it.

Guest: If you want the answer to your question, then I encourage you to keep reading.

ZeroMK7: You'll see more Charisma Duelists in the future.

Electriuser: I'm glad you liked the chapter. And I also appreciate your feedback for Jeanne. I'll do a better job next time she duels. After all, it was the first time I wrote a Mekk-Knight duel.

E.T. 2000: I'm glad you not only liked the chapter, but that you understood what I said to you from your review back in Chapter 19. Yes. Each deck symbolizes the user, whether it's their personality, past, behavior, traits, or their ideals. As for the Crisis, while I won't dive into specifics, I will say that the Ignis War has a role in setting it up (if you're confused, picture it like a puzzle coming together). And thanks for pointing out that error.

Portal: What I will confirm with you is that the Playmaker vs. Revolver duel will still happen (after all, that duel is actually important for the series). I've also established back in Chapter 5 that Infearno will be Raguel's main rival for Season 1. And yes, Dancho will learn how to Synchro Summon in Season 2. As for your other theories, all I'll say is that anything can happen.

Decode Talker: There won't be an opening for the Tower of Hanoi arc, but there will be one starting from Season 2.

Guest: Yes.

All right, everyone. With reviews out of the way, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter 21: Casino Royale**

_On the way to Den Academy, in the morning..._

"What exactly are you doing, Herald?" Yuhiro asked Herald. Right now, he was walking to school along with Progleo. Herald, on the other hand...

"It's this crazy game." Herald replied, his hands on Yuhiro's tablet. "Who knew such a simple game can be so hard?"

"Are you saying that the game called Piano Tiles is hard for you?"

"Of course not!" Herald immediately answered, turning to Yuhiro. "It's just that I'm on Level 100, and at some point, when I go through the level-."

"Let me." Yuhiro said, taking back his tablet from Herald. As he started up the level and began playing it, three thoughts formed in his mind.

One: Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria. Yesterday, Herald theorized that SOL may have manufactured Cyberse cards back when Cyberse World was under their management and they had Data Material to make LINK VRAINS grow. If that was the case, then the both of them were in deep trouble, as it was likely the Hanoi saw their duels as well as the public.

Two: Project VIII. Before the duels yesterday, Yusaku told him about Project VIII, as well as a possible lead they may have. _The FBI_, he thought. It was very likely that they had answers because when they had the opportunity to tell the public, they only could disclose what was allowed. The question was: What exactly did the FBI _not_ want to tell the public?

Three: Percival and Demeter. From what Yusaku told Yuhiro, Percival was a research intern, who was there along with the other scientists during the Lost Incident. Yuhiro, just like Yusaku, had every right to be angry at Percival. However, it was what Yusaku said next that surprised him. _He knew one of the kidnapped children, and couldn't do anything to save them_. Exactly which child did Percival know?

As for Demeter, she was a complete mystery. Was she also among the researchers ten years ago? Why was she helping Watchman? While Yuhiro wanted answers to those questions, it was probably best to set them aside until later. After all, the Hanoi are currently the main threat, not Watchman and his crew.

"And done." Yuhiro said, completing the 100th level of Piano Tiles for Herald.

"WHAT?" Herald said in shock. "But how?"

"Don't know." Yuhiro answered, shrugging his shoulders. "I think that's enough gaming for now." Herald groaned as he put his tablet in his backpack. That was the other thing that recently developed.

A few hours after dinner yesterday, Yuhiro went upstairs to finish his homework for the day. Unfortunately, Herald, who was curious, ended up opening the Piano Tiles app on his tablet and started playing the game for several hours on end. As a result, Yuhiro had to move his Duel Disk to the living room in order to finish his work. _Who knew that Herald would be into video games_, he thought, chuckling to himself.

Yuhiro snapped out of his thoughts when Progleo started pulling him to an intersection. When he looked ahead, he understood why. There was a person at the intersection that Progleo liked.

"Oh, good morning Progleo." Aoi said in surprise, smiling as she bent down to pet the cub.

"Good morning, Aoi!" Progleo responded, happy to see Aoi again.

When Aoi looked up, she saw Yuhiro looking at her. She immediately changed her facial expression to her usual one as she stood up. "Good morning as well, Furutani."

Yuhiro nodded in greeting. "Good morning, Zaizen." The two of them, along with a very happy Progleo, crossed the sidewalk. After a few minutes, Aoi broke the silence.

"Can I ask you a question, Furutani?"

Yuhiro's face turned pale immediately upon hearing that. Sensing that he was disturbed, Progleo turned to Aoi and growled at her. However, Yuhiro was able to regain control of himself at the last second.

"It's okay, little buddy. I'm okay now." Yuhiro assured Progleo, kneeling down and petting the cub. He then turned to Aoi. "The last time you asked me a question, it resulted in me having an anxiety attack. If it weren't for the healing stim Rachel gave me, who knows how much longer I would have went through that."

"I wasn't going to ask you about the _you-know-what_." Aoi clarified, crossing her arms. "I was actually going to ask what motivated you to become Raguel."

"Oh," was all Yuhiro said as he stood up. "I'll tell you, but in exchange, you have to answer one of my questions. Deal?"

Aoi nodded. "Deal. So what motivated you exactly to become Raguel in the first place?"

The two of them resumed walking while Yuhiro thought over Aoi's question before responding. "You remember after our duel, when I said that I had a friend who wanted me to accept your challenge?"

"Yeah?"

"Roxy was that friend." Yuhiro continued. "But I also did it for her niece as well."

"Her niece?" Aoi repeated. "What does Roxy's niece have to do with you becoming Raguel?"

Apparently, Aoi's question struck a nerve with Yuhiro, as it caused him to grit his teeth.

"It has a lot actually to do with _her_," Yuhiro spat out. "Three years ago, Roxy took me to visit her niece in the hospital, who I learned was involved in the Lost Incident, just like Playmaker and I."

Aoi covered her mouth in shock upon hearing this. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"Well, better to know now than never." Yuhiro pointed out. "Where was I? Anyway, when I met her, I felt that I owed Roxy for putting up with me all those years. I wanted them to experience happiness with each other again, after many years of suffering."

"I see," was all Aoi said, as she processed this information. "Roxy and her niece must be lucky that you're in both of their lives."

"And I'm lucky to be a part of theirs." Yuhiro replied, a small smile on his face. "After all, if I weren't, who knows what would have happened to me?" Noticing that he was smiling, Yuhiro changed his facial expression back to his usual one.

"Hold on a minute!" Aoi suddenly said, getting Yuhiro's attention. "I have another question for you. How did you know about Baira's location that day when I went to confront her?"

Yuhiro sighed, while Herald chuckled. Busted. "I'll admit, I listened in on your conversation with Ghost Girl. And I have to say, I'm surprised she approached you in real life and gave the information for free."

"I'm surprised she even approached me at all." Aoi commented. "I'm not sure why she did it, but if it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't have logged back into LINK VRAINS at all."

"And you wouldn't have been able to help end the 'Another' threat as well, Zaizen." Herald added. "It's weird. How the people we hate end up helping us grow."

"Hate?" Aoi repeated, raising an eyebrow and looking at Yuhiro. "Did something happen between you and Ghost Girl?"

Yuhiro groaned. He did not want to talk about what happened between him and Ghost Girl with Aoi of all people. She would never understand what betrayal feels like. But considering that he'd have to tell someone eventually, it was better that he told her than anyone else. "Alright, fine. I'll tell you. What is it you want to know?"

Aoi thought for a bit, then said, "When did the two of you meet? Was it in the real world or in LINK VRAINS?"

"It was first in LINK VRAINS, two years ago. However, Roxy got the chance to meet her real-world identity, Emma, in the real world first." Yuhiro answered. "You see, while I was at school, Monty contacted her to meet his newest worker on the black market, who ended up being Ghost Girl. After Roxy played her part in the arrest of an abusive asshole named Travis, Ghost Girl ended up being impressed with her skills. And the two became best friends not long after."

"That must have been very nice. But I'm not sure how that relates to you."

"Well, once I got back from school," Yuhiro continued, "Monty paired Ghost Girl and I up immediately for an assignment. He called it Operation: Track and Retrieve because of a rare commodity that appeared in the underworld of LINK VRAINS. In other words, Ghost Girl and I were told to retrieve said commodity from the client if he wasn't willing to bargain for it."

"What happened? And what exactly was this 'commodity'?"

"Ghost Girl and I learned that the commodity was an avatar enhancer, which gave your avatar in LINK VRAINS artificial abilities. Unfortunately, it turned out there were _two_ avatar enhancers in existence, and they were in possession of some delinquents who aspired to be crime lords. So after bargaining didn't work, Ghost Girl and I dueled the delinquents for the avatar enhancers and won." Yuhiro took a breath as he recalled the events. "Long story short, Monty was happy with our success, and gave us half more each than what he promised. I'll admit I was impressed with Ghost Girl's skills as a hacker and as a duelist." _And the only other person I'm impressed with is Playmaker_, he thought.

"We met a few more times in LINK VRAINS after that. We also did several jobs together, usually for Monty. I helped her improve on her hacking and fighting skills, and she taught me how I can improve on stealth and reconnaissance. What I liked about working for the black market is that jobs tend to be fair. If it's necessary, then a boss will hire more people, and will ensure to tell anyone that's already been hired. After all, it's better to cooperate and get the job done than fight amongst yourselves."

"So what caused your friendship to fall apart?"

Yuhiro scowled as he recalled the memory. "A year ago, Monty paired Ghost Girl and I up for an urgent assignment called Operation: Extraction. A crime syndicate called the Landios Confederation kidnapped a well-known man on the black market named Hector Marino, who had control over a weapons business. If they succeeded in making Hector relinquish his control over it, they'd be able to take over the black market by force. Therefore, Ghost Girl and I were assigned a hefty sum to rescue him. Unfortunately, we weren't the _only ones_ given the assignment." He narrowed his eyes further and growled as the image of that man appeared in his mind. _Damn you, Blood Shepherd_, Yuhiro thought.

"What do you mean? Who else was assigned?" Aoi soon noticed that Yuhiro stopped talking. "Is everything alright Furutani?"

Yuhiro opened his mouth, but then closed it upon looking ahead. "I'll continue later," he said. "Not at school." Aoi looked up ahead, and was surprised that they made it to Den Academy.

Making sure that he was a safe distance away from school, Yuhiro knelt down to Progleo's level. "Alright, little buddy. Time to get back into the Duel Disk."

Progleo's ears went down upon hearing that. "But can't I go inside with you?"

"No. And you know why." Yuhiro told the cub. And Progleo crawled right back into Yuhiro's Duel Disk.

"Do you think Playmaker has a sentient Cyberse creature like you, Furutani?" Aoi asked, as Yuhiro stood up.

"Who knows?" Yuhiro replied. "Anyway, I'll see you in class."

"Same here." The two teenagers headed into the main building, but unbeknownst to them, Yusaku was watching them.

"Do you think we should talk to Furutani and Herald about what we saw yesterday?" Ai asked, emerging from Yusaku's backpack.

"At lunch." Yusaku responded. "And stay in the backpack. You don't want to get spotted, do you?"

"I suppose you make a good point," Ai said, returning to the backpack.

As Yusaku walked into Den Academy, his frown deepened.

_How did Jeanne Azaria and Reidrith get Cyberse monsters? _he wondered. _Hopefully, Furutani and Herald know some information about this_. Suddenly, another thought appeared in Yusaku's mind. _The Hanoi will most likely target them as they have Cyberse cards_. Which meant that Yusaku had another chance of finding, and hopefully defeating Revolver for good.

_A few hours later, in the afternoon..._

Yuhiro was looking over his Introduction to Design homework for the weekend on his tablet as he took a bite from his lunch (much to Herald's misery, as he was itching to beat the 100th level of Piano Tiles on his _own_). The teacher gave the class the remainder of class time to get started on it, which involved identifying different design elements that were involved in the construction of buildings. Although Yuhiro knew this wouldn't help in his work as Raguel, that didn't mean it couldn't be useful later.

"Furutani."

Yuhiro turned his head, and saw Yusaku take the empty seat across from him. "Good afternoon, Fujiki."

"Did I disturb you?"

He shook his head. "I was just looking over my homework. What's up?"

"How do you think Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria got their Cyberse cards?" Yusaku immediately asked, getting straight to the point.

Yuhiro thought it over before responding. "Herald has this theory that SOL may have manufactured Cyberse cards back when Cyberse World was under their management and they had Data Material to make LINK VRAINS grow."

"Which would have likely occurred before the Hanoi attacked the Cyberse World..." Yusaku muttered. "And since they have Cyberse cards, it's likely that the Hanoi will mostly target them."

"So you're saying there's a good chance they'll appear?" Yuhiro asked, to which Yusaku nodded. "While I do hope that's the case, it just doesn't add up."

"Whatever it may be, we should both be vigilant about this." Yusaku said. Even if it were a small chance the Hanoi could appear, it was better that than nothing.

"Agreed." Yusaku was about to get up from his seat when Yuhiro spoke up.

"Hold on, Fujiki." Yuhiro pulled out a slip of paper and gave it to Yusaku.

"What's this?"

"Encrypted chat coordinates." Yuhiro answered. "For later today. Roxy hopes to interview you, Kusanagi, and Ai if possible."

Yusaku gave a small chuckle. "I see. Tell her that we'll be there after school today."

"Will do." Yusaku got up from his seat and walked away from it. Yuhiro, meanwhile, fired off a quick text to Roxy saying that Yusaku got the coordinates. Seconds later, he got a reply from her.

_Glad to see he's looking forward to the interview_, the text read. _Hopefully_, _I should be able to interview them. Otherwise, you'll have to do it for me. Okay?_

After texting Roxy that he's flexible with doing the interview in case she wasn't available, he put his phone back in his backpack. Yuhiro frowned to himself as he replayed the conversation he had with Yusaku in his mind. Just what was the Hanoi's plan with the Cyberse cards? Will they risk appearing again just to destroy them? Or did they have another plan for them?

_Crap_, he thought, as he looked at the clock, which showed that there was five minutes until the next class. Knowing he could try and solve the questions in his mind later, Yuhiro got up from his seat and headed to his next class.

_Elsewhere, at Uchida Industries..._

"Mr. Uchida! Mr. Uchida!"

Emon was at a press conference, where he was to announce the newest building project from Uchida Industries. And to everyone's surprise, he announced that the building would first be revealed to the citizens of LINK VRAINS. By doing this, the company hoped to achieve three objectives. One: To gain the attention of young duelists who use LINK VRAINS. Two: To demonstrate other uses for Data Material, thus bringing a cleaner, more efficient LINK VRAINS. Three: To help not only pave the way for humanity's future, but, in the words of the company's slogan, "make the impossible possible".

"Yes?" Emon said, pointing to a female reporter.

"Mr. Uchida," the female reporter said, "what exactly will be used for this building project?"

"I'm glad you asked." Emon replied. "This tower will be built using Uchida Industries' newest metal: the Dascium metal. By applying the metal to the tower, it will reinforce its construction, thus preventing it from being damaged or destroyed." He then noticed a male reporter with freckles and orange hair raise a hand. "Yes?"

"Mr. Uchida," the male reporter said, "in your opinion, how do you think the people in LINK VRAINS, as well as SOL Technologies, will respond to these news?"

"If I'm being honest, I expect several different reactions." Emon answered. "For the young duelists in LINK VRAINS, I want to get their attention. I want them to learn about Uchida Industries and what the company is doing. And ultimately, I want them to choose this company for their careers in the future. After all, we're living in a world where networking matters, correct?" He got some murmurs and chuckles from the audience in response. "As for SOL Technologies, we're business rivals. They may try to get your attention away from us, but I promise we will work tirelessly to meet your needs. Next question?" He then noticed a female reporter with short, light brown hair raise a hand. "Yes?"

"Mr. Uchida," the female reporter said, "with the emergence of the Knights of Hanoi, how will they impact the development of the tower? Do you think they'll plan to use it for their nefarious methods?" And several reporters suddenly started asking the same question, causing friction in the air.

"Everyone, please listen!" Emon said, silencing everyone. "As the head of Uchida Industries, I have faith in Playmaker and the others to stop the Hanoi, just like you do. And to ease your worries, I will personally oversee security efforts for the tower." He looked at his watch. This press conference was eating up too much of his time, and he had to get important work done. "No more questions."

Emon then turned around and entered Uchida Industries, with many reporters and photographers attempting to follow him. However, they were immediately blocked by agents.

"What is with people these days?" Emon muttered to himself, as he walked to the elevators. But before he could reach them, his phone started vibrating, causing him to pull it out of his pocket.

"Yes?"

"My apologies, sir," a young man said on the other end, "but you have an unexpected visitor. He urgently wants to see you."

"Tell him to wait outside of my office." Emon told the young man before hanging up. The last thing I need is an unexpected visitor, he thought, as he went into the elevator and used it to go up to the sixth floor.

Once he got there, he immediately headed straight to his office. However, it turned out that there was no one near the door. Raising an eyebrow, he opened the door and went in slowly into his office before closing the door behind him. Upon looking around, Emon let out a breath of relief as he went to sit in his office chair, knowing that he wouldn't have any unexpected meetings to deal with. Unfortunately, he couldn't have been anymore wrong.

"My, you're anxious, aren't you Emon?"

Emon got a heart attack upon hearing that. He immediately turned around, and saw the same fair skinned man with blue eyes he previously saw in the Hanoi Stronghold. The only difference was that he was wearing a gray coat, with a white shirt, black vest, gray pants, and brown shoes.

"You definitely live up to being a specter, don't you, Youta Itsuki?" Emon asked, identifying the individual.

"Of course I live up to being a specter." Youta answered, extending his right hand to Emon. "After all, its what I do best."

Emon smirked as he shook Youta's hand. "I expected Ryoken to visit at some point today. I'm guessing you're here because he's busy?"

"That's precisely correct." Youta confirmed, as he headed to the chair near Emon's desk and sat in it. "Ryoken wanted to know the construction progress regarding the Tower, and if you were able to find any information regarding our Cyberse problem."

"The Tower's construction is going according to schedule, and the public doesn't suspect a thing." Emon said. "I've also found something interesting recently as well."

"Oh? And what that may be?"

"This." Emon turned his laptop over to Youta, which showed coordinates. "I've identified the location of the Cyberse card called World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy. Turns out it's secretly guarded by SOL Technologies."

"Is that so?" Youta said, smirking. "In that case, perhaps we should-."

"A frontal assault, while intriguing, won't do it." Emon interrupted, surprising Youta. "And when I tried to hack into the vault, I was somehow kicked out. Which leads to an interesting theory. Perhaps, like my 'Burning Abyss' monsters, World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy is a sentient creature that somehow detected my presence and kicked me out. After all, SOL Technologies' security system is usually easy to get into, wouldn't you agree?"

"It is something to consider." Youta agreed, putting a hand on his chin. "What if we were to find the individual who designed the vault?"

"While that would take some time, if that were the case, we'll be able to access the vault." Emon answered.

"And therefore, start the tower ahead of schedule." Youta finished, standing up. "Thank you for the information, Emon. I will inform Master Ryoken right away." He was about to head for the door and leave when Emon spoke up.

"How exactly did you get into Uchida Industries? You know you need a pass, right?"

Youta held up an ID as he turned his body to look at Emon. "You can thank the world of hacking for that. If I were you, I'd tighten your cyber security systems." And Youta left the office without saying another word.

After ensuring that there were no more meetings in his schedule, Emon resumed his work on his laptop. _Youta_, he thought. _You think that callous attitude will help you in your service towards the Hanoi, don't you?_ _If I were you, I'd be careful. Because one misstep, and it can lead to your undoing._

_A few hours later, on the way home after school..._

As Yuhiro walked home with Progleo, he noticed Aoi approach him. "Do you need something?" he asked. As he kept walking, she fell in step beside him.

"I wanted to continue our conversation from earlier," Aoi replied. "About what caused your friendship with Ghost Girl to fall apart."

"You did promise her, remember?" Herald pointed out, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "And can I please play the Piano Tiles game on your tablet now?"

"No. Not until we get home." Yuhiro told Herald, causing him to groan in disappointment. He turned his head to face Aoi. "You remember how I said that Ghost Girl and I weren't the only ones given the assignment?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, it turned out that Monty had to hire one of the most dangerous bounty hunters for the job as well." Yuhiro continued. "In LINK VRAINS, everyone called him Blood Shepherd, and he's known for being relentless in his hunts, as well as being very intelligent in hacking and dueling. There's also rumors that he worked in the military, where he interrogated rogue AI's. Ultimately, if there's one thing we agreed on, it's this: Blood Shepherd is someone who's willing to do anything to complete his goal, no matter how horrible it was." Aoi slightly gasped upon hearing that.

"I can't believe that, other than the Hanoi, there's someone out there who has no morals." Aoi said, processing the information. "But how does this 'Blood Shepherd' fit in to your history with you and Ghost Girl?"

"Zaizen, until that assignment, I didn't know that Ghost Girl worked with Blood Shepherd before, and knowing about him beforehand would have saved me a headache." Yuhiro replied. "By the time the three of us got into the Landios Confederation, things went straight to hell."

"What happened?"

Yuhiro grit his teeth as the memory came back to him. "In the midst of a firefight to save Hector, I learned from him that Ghost Girl was hired by someone else to steal the data from Landios, as well as destroy the headquarters to shut their operations down. I also realized that she was responsible for screwing the entire operation up." He chuckled to himself. "I thought she had some honor, but I guess I was wrong in the end."

"You couldn't have known, Furutani." Aoi gently said, hoping to cheer him up.

"As soon as I escaped from Landios," Yuhiro continued, ignoring what Aoi said, "I told Roxy everything that happened. She said that we'd talk about it once I returned to the real world. Unfortunately, things went further downhill."

"What do you mean?"

"A few days after the fiasco, Roxy went to confront Emma about what happened. It soon turned into an argument, which led to them breaking off their friendship." Yuhiro clarified. "The thing is, I didn't want Roxy to lose her friendship with Emma over me. I was actually happy that she had a friend, and I think her being friends with Emma made life for her easier."

"...Roxy must really care a lot about you to do that, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yup." Yuhiro agreed. "And luckily for us, I managed to get payback on Emma for her betrayal by beating her in a duel."

"The best part," Progleo added, "was that I got to pounce on the mean lady, like she was-." Suddenly, something got his attention. "A SQUIRREL!" And the cub started running at the squirrel, causing Yuhiro to lose his grip on the leash.

"Progleo!" Yuhiro said, running after the cub. "What did I tell you about squirrels? WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT SQUIRRELS?"

Aoi stopped walking upon seeing the predicament. _Yuhiro Furutani_, Aoi thought. _You may appear indifferent,_ _but deep down, I can see that you have a big heart, and that you care._ Her thoughts then turned to that of a blue and pink haired young man, a small smile forming on her lips. _If only you were like that, Fujiki... _

_Elsewhere, in the evening..._

"We should be there soon, Ryoken." Emon said to the male individual in the backseat.

"Thank you, Emon," Ryoken said. Ryoken wore a pink V-neck shirt underneath a light grey suit jacket, with black trousers that ended above his ankles, along with white shoes. He also had a tattoo of a red triangle on his right hand.

"Ugh," the male individual in the passenger seat said. "Why can't I drive? You know that I'm the Hanoi's Secretary, correct? And as Secretary, shouldn't one of my responsibilities be to drive the Hanoi members to real-life locations?" This individual was of medium height, with brown eyes, and yellow hair with bangs at the front. He wore business casual clothing.

"It's because Emon arranged the meeting, Takuya." Youta answered, who was sitting in the back beside Ryoken. "Besides, one look at you, and the people will assume that you're too young to be in the Den City Casino."

"Young?" Takuya repeated. "Says you. You're a year younger than Ryoken and I. If anything, only Emon is legally allowed entry into the Den City Casino."

"Will the both of you please stop?" Ryoken asked. "The three of us may not be old enough to enter a casino, but I have faith that Emon took care of that problem, correct?"

"I did, Ryoken." Emon confirmed. "I hacked into the passes so that the three of you are the age required to gain entry."

"My apologies for that disturbance, Master Ryoken." Youta said. "I was simply answering Takuya's question."

"It's of no concern, Youta." Ryoken responded. "Now isn't the time to be fighting amongst ourselves. If tonight is successful, we'll have more allies to launch our plan."

The others nodded in agreement.

"It appears that we've arrived." Emon announced, as they made their way to the entrance. A guard wearing a tuxedo approached his car.

"Your ID please?" the man asked.

"Of course." Emon handed the man his ID, and upon seeing it, he widened his eyes in surprise.

"Oh. Mr. Uchida. We didn't expect you to arrive early. Please, allow me." He opened the door so Emon could step out.

"I've brought three others with me." Emon reminded the man.

"Oh, yes. My apologies." The man then went and opened the doors for Takuya, Ryoken, and Youta. "Shall I park the car for you, sir?"

"If you please." Emon then pressed a few buttons on his phone. When the guard checked his phone, he learned that he got an e-transfer. "This should be enough to keep the car secure and ready for us to go, I hope?"

"It is," the man confirmed. "I hope you and your friends have a good time." The man then drove the car to the parking lot nearby the casino.

"Did you just bribe that guard?" Takuya asked Emon, who nodded. "Huh. I didn't expect you to do that."

"You never know what someone is capable of, Takuya." Emon replied. "Remember that." The four men then approached a clerk at a kiosk, who was checking several ID's. The clerk was also accompanied by two men in black suits.

"Your ID's please," the clerk said to Emon, Ryoken, Takuya, and Youta. After Emon collected the ID's, he handed them over to the clerk, who looked at the three young men with an eyebrow raised. "Aren't you three a bit too young to go into a casino?"

"I assure you, it's no big deal." Emon told the clerk, as he handed him four tickets. "Rather, the four of us have an appointment, and it would be rude of you to keep us from it, don't you agree?"

Upon looking at the tickets, the clerk's eyes widened. "Oh, y-yes. You're absolutely correct." The clerk turned to one of the men in a black suit. "Enzo! Escort them to see the boss."

Enzo nodded as he went to the door and opened it. "Right this way, gentleman."

"I can't you got us inside a casino, Emon." Youta said, as he and the others went inside the casino.

The casino on the inside was lit up quite brightly with many lights. On one side of the casino, there were several slot machines, along with a few tables for card games. On the other, there were seats where people could place bets on horse races that were going on at another section of the world. There were also roulette and coin games as well.

And at the center was a large dome, which contained an elevator. That was where Enzo was leading them.

"Emon's many years of expertise in the field of business have helped us." Ryoken pointed out, as they were walking. "Not only has he provided the funds for our operations, but his skills with communication are very good as well. Especially if you're the head of a multi-million dollar corporation."

"Thank you, Ryoken." Emon said. "I appreciate it very much."

The four men and Enzo went into the elevator, which went down a floor before stopping. Once they got out, Enzo started talking.

"Now a word of advice: The boss, who you're about to meet, is sophisticated with impeccable taste. As long as you're all on your best manners, then it will all go well. Otherwise... Well, you'll probably figure it out before you're dead." He opened the door for the others. "Good luck."

There were three men inside the room that Emon and the others went into, which had a poker table. While two of them wore black suits, the other, who looked like a young, male adult, sat on a red, velvet chair. He had relatively pale skin, with blood red eyes and platinum blond hair that was styled over his left eye, hiding it from view. He wore a black-hooded jacket with golden trims and a navy blue t-shirt with the symbols from the four suits of playing cards on each corner. He also wore silver jeans that were held up by a black belt with a golden buckle, along with grey combat boots. Suddenly, a blue and black serpent with a big red eye on its head slithered into the room, as though it were guarding him.

"Easy, Basilius," the young man said to the serpent. "They are our guests, and guests aren't food. At least for now."

"He kind of looks like a vampire." Takuya whispered to Emon.

"Be quiet." Emon harshly whispered back. He then approached the man in the red, velvet chair and offered him his hand. "You must be Akihiko Akutagawa. I'm glad we can meet on this fabulous evening."

"Same here." Akihiko replied, getting up from his chair and shaking Emon's hand. "I do apologize for Basilius's behavior. He's rather tense with new people at first."

"It's a duel monster, isn't it?" Emon asked, surprising Akihiko for a brief moment. "Rest assured, I have several of them myself." He then gestured to the other men behind him. "This is Ryoken Kogami, Youta Itsuki, and Takuya Naegi."

"So you're Dr. Kogami's son..." Akihiko said, as he stepped forward and offered his hand to Ryoken. "I'm truly sorry for your loss. The fact that someone with a great mind as his, who died from a coma, must have been a shock to you."

Ryoken, who was tense at the comment, shook Akihiko's hand at that comment. "Thank you for your kind words. He truly was someone who can change the world."

Emon, sensing that Ryoken was off, started talking. "Uh, Akihiko? You do recall why we wanted to meet with you, correct?"

Akihiko turned around, his hands behind his back. "Of course. You seek my help for something grand, something spectacular, something that will rock the world forever."

"We seek a partnership with you," Ryoken clarified, getting straight to the point as Akihiko walked to the poker table. "If you help us, we will pay you handsomely for your assistance."

"That does sound tempting." Akihiko pondered over the offer as four cards suddenly appeared in his right hand. "Let's say these four cards I hold in your hand represent each of you." Almost immediately, eight cards appeared in the other hand. "However, from what I heard and saw in LINK VRAINS, you have a bunch of pests that keep getting in your way, which represents these eight cards in case you didn't know. The cards in my left hand outnumber the ones in my right hand. Which leads to a conclusion: Are you truly strong enough to get rid of those pests?"

"You dare question the Hanoi's strength?" Ryoken growled, but Youta put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"What exactly are you saying, Akihiko?" Youta asked.

"I'm saying I doubt your strength and intelligence." Akihiko stated. "All I ask for is reassurance that you have them. Which is why..." He gestured to the poker table behind him. "I challenge one of you to a game of poker. Beat me, and I'll agree to partner with you."

"Leave this to me!" Takuya immediately said. "I will gladly accept the challenge." He walked over to one of the seats at the poker table, while Akihiko sat in the other.

One of the men in a black suit went over to the poker table and pulled out a deck of cards. As he shuffled the deck in various ways, he slightly turned his head to Akihiko and nodded at him before finishing. "Gentlemen. Here are your five cards." The man dealt five cards each to Takuya and Akihiko. He then gave each of them a series of poker chips.

After Takuya looked at his hand, he decided to put a small amount of his poker chips at the middle of the table.

"How come you aren't playing poker?" Youta asked Emon.

"It's because Takuya, while obnoxious, has proven himself a superior poker player compared to me." Emon admitted. "I trust that he'll pull through."

"Boy, you're ambitious." Akihiko commented, as he put a small amount of his poker chips at the middle of the table. "But the cards ultimately determine the fate of the player, don't you agree?" Akihiko then put down a two pair.

"Yes. But..." Takuya put down a three of a kind, "I think that mastery of cards helps with your luck, right?" Akihiko smirked as he, along with Takuya, returned the cards to the deck. While the dealer shuffled the cards and handed both players five cards, Takuya collected his winnings.

"So Takuya won round one..." Youta muttered.

"But that was just the first round," Ryoken commented, as he crossed his arms. "Anything can happen in a game of poker."

"Let's see what we got here..." Takuya muttered to himself, looking at his hand. He then placed his bet at the middle of the poker table.

"Oh, great hand!" Akihiko said to himself, placing his bet at the middle of the poker table. He then took a drink before throwing down his hand. "I bet you can't beat my flush."

"Ah, nuts. You're right!" Takuya said, his eyes widened in surprise. "All I got is this straight hand. Guess you win this round." Akihiko then proceeded to collect his winnings as both men returned their hands back to the deck.

The dealer then proceeded to shuffle the deck for a third time before dealing five cards for each person. However, the dealer winked to Akihiko as he dealt the cards to him. Takuya pretended not to notice as he looked at his hand. _He thinks he's beat me, but we will see very soon_, Takuya thought, as he quickly exchanged the card in his hand with one in his sleeve.

"I don't like that look in Akihiko's eye." Youta whispered to Emon. "Something's not right."

"I bet that Takuya has everything under control." Emon whispered back.

"All right, my friend. The game is about to end." Akihiko said, as he placed his bet. "And to ensure this, I'm betting everything for this final round."

"Everything? Oh, you must be daring." Takuya responded. "I'd be a poor sport indeed if I didn't accept your fair wager." He proceeded to put his bet at the middle of the poker table.

"Well, at least you're a fair sport about it." Akihiko then threw down his hand, which was a full house. "Read them and weep!"

Takuya looked at the cards that were thrown down for a brief moment. "An impressive play. But..." He then smirked as he played his hand of cards. "I got four of a kind."

Akihiko looked at the hand as a mix of confusion and anger appeared on his face. "YOU CHEATED!" He then flipped the poker table over, causing Takuya to jump to the ground for safety.

"Technically, we both cheated. I just did it better." Takuya said, putting a hand on his head. Ryoken ran over to him to see if he was alright. He then turned his head at Youta and nodded at him, who nodded back.

"I'll rip your bloody-!" But before Akihiko could finish what he was saying, Youta suddenly appeared beside him and grabbed his right arm, surprising him. "How did you... You were just-?"

"Over there with Ryoken?" Youta finished, keeping his grip on Akihiko's arm. "Let's just say we each have our own unique abilities. Now I'm sure there's a more gentlemanly way to settle this little dispute, correct?" He smirked as he said this.

Akihiko looked at Youta for a full five seconds before smirking back. "Indeed there is." He turned to the two men in black suits. "Don't just stand there! Take us to the dueling arena already."

The two men in black suits then led everyone else downstairs to an empty area that was overlooked by an observation booth. While Ryoken, Emon, and Takuya went with the two men to the observation booth, Akihiko and Youta went to the empty room.

One of the two men in black suits flipped a few switches while Ryoken, Emon, and Takuya sat down in chairs on their right. Ryoken glanced at the men before glancing back at Youta. Within moments, the men finished turning on the systems.

"Everything's set," one of the men said. "Are you both ready?" Both Akihiko and Youta nodded. "Then go ahead."

Youta and Akihiko raised their Duel Disks. "Into the VRAINS!" they declared, as their Duel Disks shined with blue light.

Everyone watched as the room they were watching was digitized. While Youta's appearance changed to that of Specter's, Akihiko's appearance changed completely. He now wore a long, silver jacket that had black trims towards the end of it, along with silver gloves on his hands, with each glove containing two of the four suits symbols for playing cards. He also wore black trousers and silver boots. In addition, his hair changed from blond to green, only it was shorter, and slicked back with one strand falling down the middle of his face. One of the most noticeable features of his attire was the deep blue scarf draped across his shoulders, as though it were a cape. Buckled to his left hand was a diamond shaped green duel disk that had a black wrist band.

"In LINK VRAINS, I'm known as Ace." Ace explained, introducing himself. "This area right here is separate from the rest of LINK VRAINS, so need not worry. You won't get exposed at all."

"And I'm known as Specter," Specter responded, giving Ace a slight bow as he introduced himself. "I trust that you'll honor our deal if I win?"

"Of course." Ace responded. "After all, you may have proven your intelligence through your friend, but you still need to show me your strength."

"Says the man who got pissed when I won," Lord Kazuma commented under his breath. Unfortunately, both Emon and Ryoken heard him.

"Well, you did cheat." Emon reminded Takuya.

"And again, I did it better." Takuya stated.

"Regardless of what happened, it would be a good idea to put it to rest." Ryoken firmly stated, putting the discussion to an end. "The both of you should pay attention to this duel, as the odds are now in our favor. Specter will demonstrate the Hanoi's strength to Akihiko, and if this duel is a success, then we'll acquire a new ally in our fight against the Ignis."

Both Emon and Takuya nodded in agreement as they turned their heads to look at the duel.

After Ace and Specter raised their Duel Disks, they shouted, "Duel!"

**Specter: 4000 LP**

**Ace: 4000 LP**

"As it's your turf, I think it would be fair for me to go first." Specter said, looking at his hand before touching one of his cards. "First I summon Sunseed Genius Loci from my hand!" A golden statue with a green base holding a brown seed appeared on Specter's field.

**Sunseed Genius Loci ATK: 0 DEF: 600 LV: 1**

"Appear! The future circuit that lights up our path!" Specter raised his hand as a massive Link Portal appeared on the ground behind him. "The summoning conditions are one Plant Normal monster! I'll set Sunseed Genius Loci into the Link Markers!" Genius Loci turned into an orange whirlwind as it went into the bottom Link Marker behind Specter.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Sunavalon Dryas!" Soon, the ground broke apart, before something rose out of it. The monster that emerged in the right Extra Monster Zone was a giant tree with a few bulbs hanging from the branches and what appeared to be a face in the center.

**Sunavalon Dryas ATK: 0 LINK-1** ⬇️

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Specter concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" Ace said, drawing the top card of his deck before looking at it, along with his hand. "I activate the Field Spell card, Evil Eye Domain – Pareidolia!" Behind Ace, a massive black castle with golden elements arose. "When I activate this Field Spell, it lets me add one 'Evil Eye' monster from my deck to my hand!" A card popped out of Ace's deck, which let him add Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye to his hand by using Evil Eye Domain – Pareidolia's effect.

"I summon Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye from my hand!" A fair-skinned, white-haired man wearing red and purple robes with several yellow eyes on his body appeared on Ace's field.

**Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye ATK: 1600 DEF: 1400 LV: 4**

"Serziel's effect!" Ace continued. "When it's Normal Summoned, I'm allowed to add an 'Evil Eye' card from my deck to my hand!" With the effect of Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye, Ace added Evil Eye of Selene to his hand.

"Next, I activate the effect of Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye! As I control an 'Evil Eye' monster, I'm allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand to my field!" The blue and black serpent with a big red eye on its head from before appeared on Ace's field and hissed at Specter.

**Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 400 DEF: 2000 LV: 3**

"Basilius's effect! Once per turn, I'm allowed to send an 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my Graveyard. I think I'll send Evil Eye of Gorgoneio to my Graveyard." A card popped out of Ace's deck, which he sent to the Graveyard.

"Appear! The circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" Ace declared, as a Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two monsters, one of which must be an 'Evil Eye' monster! I'll set Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye, and Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye into the Link Markers!" Serziel went into the top arrowhead, while Basilius went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed!" A white-haired woman wearing a black and purple dress covered by white and red armor emerged from the Link Portal and landed on Ace's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. Covering her left eye was a white mechanical device with a red lens.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 1900 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"Gorgon gains 100 additional attack points for each 'Evil Eye' card in my Graveyard with a different name." Ace explained. "As there's three 'Evil Eye' cards with different names, Gorgon therefore gains 300 attack points." A red aura enveloped Gorgon as she powered up.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 1900 + 300 = 2200**

"I activate the Equip Spell card, Evil Eye of Selene, and equip it to Gorgon." Another mechanical device, this one red and silver, covered Gorgon's right eye. "As long as Gorgon is equipped with Evil Eye of Selene, she can't be destroyed by battle or card effects, nor can she be targeted by card effects!" Specter frowned upon hearing that.

"I then activate Gorgon's effect!" Ace added. "Once per turn, I can target one effect monster you control and negate its effects until the end of the turn. I target your Sunavalon Dryas!" Gorgon fired a mesmeric blast of energy from her hands at Dryas, but...

"I activate Sunvine Maiden's effect from my hand!" Specter suddenly said. "When you activate a card effect that targets one Plant monster I control, I can Special Summon this card from my hand, and by doing so, I can negate the activation!" A little elven girl with bright blue eyes, long purple hair, and wearing a dress created from vines appeared on Specter's field. She raised her hands and created a barrier to protect Dryas from Gorgon's blast.

**Sunvine Maiden ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"Not bad," Ace said, "but it's a good thing I can respond to that move! Evil Eye of Selene's effect now activates! Whenever the equipped monster activates its effect, or I activate the effect of another 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card, it gains 500 attack points and I lose 500 life points." As Gorgon powered up, Ace clutched his heart, as though he felt pain. The creepy thing, though, was that he smirked as he went through the experience.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2200 + 500 = 2700**

**Ace: 4000 – 500 = 3500 LP**

"Ah, so that must be Ace's strategy." Ryoken theorized.

"What do you mean?" Emon asked, turning his head at Ryoken.

"The deck revolves around the Equip Spell card, Evil Eye of Selene." Ryoken explained, narrowing his eyes at the field. "Not only does it provide attack boosts whenever the equipped monster activates its effects or another 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card is activated, it also makes them immune to destruction and targeting."

"But with such great power, there's always a cost." Takuya pointed out. "In this case, it's the user's life points that pays the price."

"It's time to battle!" Ace declared. "Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed attacks Sunvine Maiden!" Gorgon's two lenses lit up before firing a beam of red energy at Specter's Maiden, blasting a hole inside her before turning into particles. Specter's entire body fizzled as he took damage.

**Specter: 4000 – 2700 = 1300 LP**

"I activate the effect of Sunavalon Dryas!" Specter said. "Once during each of our turns, when I take damage, I get to Special Summon a 'Sunvine' Link Monster from my Extra Deck to a zone a 'Sunavalon' Link Monster points to. Come, Sunvine Healer!" One of the pods hanging from Dryas glowed and burst as purple fluid came out of it. The fluid solidified into a teenage elven girl with orange hair that went down to her neck as she was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Dryas was pointing to. She wore a red dress, with a botanical design that went upwards, causing it to look like a rose. She also had vines wrapped around her feet, and wore ruby red shoes.

**Sunvine Healer ATK: 600 LINK-1** ⬆️

"That's not all." Specter continued. "I regain life points equal to the damage I took this turn!" Pink vines emerged from Dryas and wrapped around Specter. He breathed in relief as his life points went right back to 4000.

**Specter: 1300 + 2700 = 4000 LP**

"I then activate Sunvine Healer's effect! As she was Special Summoned, I can target one 'Sunavalon' Link Monster that is pointing to this card, and then gain life points equal to its Link Rating times 300! I target Sunavalon Dryas!" Healer then turned around and gave Specter some of her energy, further increasing his life points.

**Specter: 4000 + 300 = 4300 LP**

"Interesting..." was all Ace could say in response. Specter found a way to not only bring out another Link Monster, but reset _and_ gain more life points. _This is going to be fun_, he thought. _Especially once I begin using my little tricks with him_. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"The final effect of Sunvine Healer activates." Specter said. "Since it's the End Phase and she was Special Summoned, I'm allowed to add one 'Sunvine' or 'Sunavalon' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand." With Healer's effect, a card popped out of Specter's deck, letting him add Sunvine Shrine from his deck to his hand. "My turn! I draw!" After drawing and looking at the card he drew, he smirked.

"Appear! The future circuit that lights up our path!" A Link Portal appeared beneath Dryas. "The summoning conditions are two Plant monsters! I'll set Sunavalon Dryas and Sunvine Healer, which are both Link 1 monsters, into the Link Markers!" Healer went into the bottom-right arrowhead, while Dryas sent vines into the bottom-left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Sunavalon Dryades!" The tree grew and changed as it was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone. It was now much larger, with a lot more bulbs hanging from its branches than before. There was also a pink-skinned woman growing at the center of the tree.

**Sunavalon Dryades ATK: 0 LINK-2** ↙️↘️

"I activate my Continuous-Trap card, Aegis of Gaia!" Specter said. "Upon activation, I immediately gain 3000 life points. However, should this card leave the field, I take 3000 points of damage." A green aura surrounded Specter as he gained life points.

**Specter: 4300 + 3000 = 7300 LP**

_I could use my Evil Eye Retribution_, Ace thought, _but I want to see what he intends to do first_.

"Next, I activate my Spell card, Magic Planter! By destroying a Continuous-Trap card on my field, I get to draw two cards. I therefore destroy Aegis of Gaia!" Aegis of Gaia then exploded into particles, which let Specter draw two cards. "However, as Aegis of Gaia left the field, I take 3000 points of damage." He winced as his life points dropped.

**Specter: 7300 – 3000 = 4300 LP**

"I know I'm a risk-taker," Takuya said, raising an eyebrow, "but I don't see the point in doing that."

"Pay attention, Takuya." Ryoken told him. "Who knows, you may learn something."

"I activate the effect of Sunavalon Dryades!" Specter said. "Up to two times per turn, whenever I take damage, I'm allowed to Special Summon one 'Sunvine' Link Monster from my Extra Deck to a zone a 'Sunavalon' Link Monster points to."

"Not so fast!" Ace suddenly said. "Gorgon's effect activates! Once per turn, I can target one effect monster you control and negate its effects until the end of the turn. I target your Sunavalon Dryades!" Gorgon prepared to fire a second mesmeric blast of energy from her hands at Dryades, but...

"Continuous-Trap, activate!" Specter interjected. "Sunavalon Force! This card-."

"Will not help you!" Ace interrupted. He then moved his left hand to his left side as a sneer formed on his face. "Counter-Trap, activate! Evil Eye Retribution! If you activate a Spell or Trap card while I control an 'Evil Eye' monster, I can negate the activation and then destroy it. However, if 'Evil Eye of Selene' is in my Spell & Trap card zone, this card's activation and effect cannot be negated!"

"What?"

"Take this!" Evil Eye Retribution fired a blast of energy at Sunavalon Force, destroying it. "You're free to use your effect on that tree, Gorgon!" At Ace's command, Gorgon fired a mesmeric blast of energy from her hands at Dryades, shutting down her effects. "And all that trouble for two cards. What a shame."

_Damn it_, Specter thought, gritting his teeth in annoyance as he looked at what Ace did to his beloved mother tree. _He outplayed me. But only for now_.

"The effects of Gorgon and Evil Eye of Selene now activate!" Ace added. "First, because there is another 'Evil Eye' card with a different name in my Graveyard, Gorgon gains another 100 attack points. Also, because I activated the effect of the equipped monster, Evil Eye of Selene gives Gorgon 500 attack points while I lose 500 life points." As Gorgon powered up for a second time, Ace clutched his heart, as though he felt pain. Additionally, he smirked, as though he enjoyed the pain.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2700 + 100 + 500 = 3300**

**Ace: 3500 – 500 = 3000 LP**

"Ace managed to find a way to temporarily stop Specter's combo." Emon commented. "And power up his monster at the same time."

"But that's obviously not going to stop Specter, though." Takuya said, crossing his arms.

"Indeed." Ryoken confirmed. "I have faith that Specter will pull through."

"You may have delayed me," Specter said, "but you haven't defeated me yet. I summon Sunseed Twin from my hand!" Two little elven twins, one boy and one girl, which were wrapped up in vines, appeared on Specter's field.

**Sunseed Twin ATK: 0 DEF: 800 LV: 2**

"Sunseed Twin's effect! Since it was Normal Summoned, and I control a 'Sunavalon' monster, I can target one Plant Normal monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it. Return, Sunseed Genius Loci!" The golden statue with a green base holding a brown seed from before reappeared on Specter's field.

**Sunseed Genius Loci ATK: 0 DEF: 600 LV: 1**

"I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Sunvine Shrine, by discarding one card from my hand!" Specter continued. "I then Set one card face-down and end my turn. At this point, I'm allowed to activate the second effect of Sunvine Shrine." He thrusted his right hand out. "By sending it to the Graveyard, I can target one Trap card in my Graveyard and Set it in my Spell & Trap card zone." A card then rematerialized on Specter's Spell & Trap card zone. _With my two face-down cards_, Specter thought_, I should be able to get past Ace's next turn_.

"My turn! I draw!" Ace said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I can't help but notice how shocked you were Specter when I used Gorgon's effect on your precious tree. Why oh why?" He put a hand on his chin. "Is it because it had such an important part of your life? What exactly could a tree do for you other than just _sit_ there?"

Specter closed his eyes as he frowned. "Is this your attempt to manipulate me by any chance? Because I'm definitely no fool." He smirked as he reopened them. "However, let's just say that tree did something for me in my youth more than what humans can _ever_ do. If you wish to find out what exactly that was, then you'll have to beat me."

"Is this a challenge?" Ace asked. "Then I'll be glad to accept it! I summon Catopleas, Familiar of the Evil Eye from my hand!" A buffalo with grey and purple skin wearing cyan armor appeared on Ace's field. On its forehead was a red eyeball, just like the one Basilius had.

**Catopleas, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 600 DEF: 1900 LV: 3**

"Next, I play my Quick-Play Spell card, Evil Eye Confrontation! As I control an 'Evil Eye' monster, I can target one Spell or Trap card you control and destroy it. However, if 'Evil Eye of Selene' is in my Spell & Trap card zone, I can then banish it!" His eyes widened into slits. "I choose the one on your right!" A purple blast of energy came out of Evil Eye Confrontation and hit the face-down card, which revealed itself as Sunavalon Force before disappearing from the field.

"My Sunavalon Force!" Specter cried out in shock. _He luckily didn't get my other card_, Specter thought, as he turned back to Ace.

"And now the effects of both Gorgon and Evil Eye of Selene activate!" Ace continued. "Since there is another 'Evil Eye' card with a different name, Gorgon gains an additional 100 attack points. And because I activated an 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card, Gorgon will gain 500 more attack points, while I lose 500 life points!" Gorgon powered up for a third time, while Ace clutched his heart in pain as his life points dropped. And just like before, he had a smile on his face.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 3300 + 100 + 500 = 3800**

**Ace: 3000 – 500 = 2500 LP**

"Appear! The circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" A Link Portal appeared above Ace. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Evil Eye' monsters. I'll set Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed, which is a Link 2 monster, and Catopleas, Familiar of the Evil Eye, into the Link Markers!" Gorgon split into two red tornadoes of energy that went into the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads, while Catopleas went into the top arrowhead, causing them all to turn red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! With the power the Evil Eye has given you, unleash your hatred and destruction onto this world in a gleeful manner! Link 3! Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed!" A red-and-gray armored man with large wings emerged from the portal and onto the right Extra Monster Zone. Giant yellow eyes opened at his knees, right arm, left shoulder, and chest. A red lens covered his right eye as well.

**Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2600 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

"That must be Ace's main monster." Emon said. "For a Link 3, it has quite the attack points."

"True," Ryoken agreed, "but attack points are _not_ everything."

"I activate the effect of Zerrziel!" Ace said. "Since it was Link Summoned using a monster whose attack points were 2600 or higher, it can attack an additional time during each Battle Phase!"

Specter's eyes widened in shock upon hearing that. _With Zerrziel attacking twice, he'll be able to defeat me this turn...if it weren't for my face-down card, that is_.

_It's time for a little trick_, Ace thought, as a copy of Evil Eye of Selene slipped out of his sleeve and went into his right hand. "I activate the Equip Spell card, Evil Eye of Selene and equip it onto Zerrziel." A red and silver mechanical device appeared, which Zerrziel grabbed and put on his left eye. "Zerrziel's second effect activates! Once per turn, when he's equipped with Evil Eye of Selene, I can target one card you control and destroy it. Say goodbye to your other face-down card!" Zerrziel fired an optic blast from both red lens at Specter's face-down card, resulting in the card to turn into particles.

"Well, Specter's screwed." Takuya stated.

"I wouldn't count him out yet, Takuya." Ryoken firmly said, narrowing his eyes briefly at the Secretary before turning them back to the duel field.

"The effect of Evil Eye of Selene now activates!" Ace said. "Because I activated the effect of the equipped monster, it gains 500 attack points and I lose 500 life points." As Zerrziel powered up, Ace clutched his heart for a fourth time. However, a sadistic smile was on his face as he experienced it.

**Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2600 + 500 = 3100**

**Ace: 2500 – 500 = 2000 LP**

He then thrusted out his right hand while smiling. "It's time to end this! Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed attacks your Sunavalon Dryades! Disdainful Vision!" The giant, yellow eyes on Zerrziel glowed as he charged energy at the center. He then fired a beam of energy from the eye at the center of his body, which headed straight for Dryades!

"I activate the effect of Sunavalon Aegis from my Graveyard!" Specter suddenly said, as a silhouette of a card appeared on his field. The card showed Sunavalon Dryatrentiay protecting Sunvine Thrasher, Healer, and Gardna from an attack that was launched from Volcanic Doomfire. "If a 'Sunavalon' or 'Sunvine' monster would be destroyed by battle, I can banish this card to prevent its destruction, and in addition, all battle damage I take for the rest of this turn is halved!" A glowing green barrier surrounded Specter's monsters, protecting them from Zerrziel's attack. However, Specter still had to cover his eyes from the attack.

**Specter: 4300 – (3100 / 2) = 2450 LP**

"You may have survived, but remember: Zerrziel can attack twice thanks to his effect." Ace reminded him. "Attack Sunavalon Dryades once again, Zerrziel! Disdainful Vision!" The giant, yellow eyes on Zerrziel glowed once again as he charged energy at the center. He then fired a beam of energy from the eye at the center of his body right at Dryades. However, a glowing green barrier surrounded Specter's monsters, protecting them from Zerrziel's attack for a second time.

**Specter: 2450 – (3100 / 2) = 900 LP**

"If it weren't for Gorgon negating Dryades' effect, Specter would have got his life points back." Takuya said, looking at the field. "And now Specter only has 900 life points left."

"It's an interesting and rare situation, one for Specter indeed." Emon added. "In other words, this next turn will ultimately decide this duel."

"I end my turn here." Ace concluded. "I am impressed, Specter. You are _the_ first to survive Zerrziel's Disdainful Vision attack. I congratulate you." _And if you do somehow try to make a comeback_, he thought, _my Evil Eye Mesmerism will steal your beloved tree and turn it against you!_

"And you are among the few to push me to my limits." Specter responded. "Whenever I spar with my allies in a duel, they usually push me to my limits so I can adapt to the situation."

Ace smiled at that comment. "I see. So by training with your allies, you can hone your skills to adapt in a duel against strong opponents. Like Playmaker and Raguel, for instance."

"Exactly!" Specter confirmed, a big smirk on his face. "And as a reward for pushing me to my limits, allow me to show you the full strength of MOTHER NATURE ITSELF!"

"Then what are you waiting for? Show me what you got!"

"My turn! I draw!" Specter said, drawing the top card of his deck and looking at it. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Sunvine Cleansing!" The card showed Sunavalon Dryatrentiay dragging several machines deep into the ground using her roots, as the poor construction workers fled the scene in terror. "This card lets me target one 'Sunavalon' or 'Sunvine' Link Monster I control and destroy Spell and Trap cards you control equal to its Link Rating! I target Sunavalon Dryades, which means I'll destroy your face-down card and Evil Eye of Selene!" Soon, two roots emerged from Sunvine Cleansing and grabbed both cards, squeezing and destroying them.

"Your card can do that?" Ace asked, a look of surprise on his face. He definitely wasn't expecting that.

"Of course it can!" Specter answered. "Appear! The future circuit that lights up our path!" A Link Portal appeared beneath Dryades. "The summoning conditions are two or more Plant monsters! I'll set Sunavalon Dryades, which is a Link 2 monster, and Sunseed Twin, into the Link Markers!" Twin went into the bottom arrowhead, while Dryades sent vines into the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads. All three arrows turned red as a result.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 3! Sunavalon Dryanome!" The tree grew even _bigger_ and changed. The pink-skinned woman from before was now slightly more visible, even though she was still covered by the rose around her. There were now more bushes around the base with more branches surrounding it. Red pods swung from it as it was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Sunavalon Dryanome ATK: 0 LINK-3** ↙️⬇️↘️

"I activate the effect of Link Supply from my Graveyard!" Specter added, as a silhouette of a card showing I:P Masquerena going through a treasure chest briefly appeared on his field. "If I Link Summon a Link Monster this turn, I can banish this card and draw one card from the top of my deck!" He then proceeded to draw the top card of his deck.

"Appear, for a second time! The future circuit that lights up our path!" A second Link Portal appeared underneath Dryanome. "The summoning conditions are one Plant Normal monster. I'll set Sunseed Genius Loci into the Link Markers!" Genius Loci went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Sunvine Thrasher!" A blue-skinned warrior wearing a green coat and cloak appeared in one of the Main Monster Zones Dryanome was pointing to. It swung the large sword in its hand, ready for battle.

**Sunvine Thrasher ATK: 800 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Thrasher's effect activates!" Specter continued. "Since Thrasher is linked to a 'Sunavalon' monster, it gains 800 attack points equal to that 'Sunavalon' Link Monster's Link rating times 800! As Dryanome is a Link 3 monster, Thrasher therefore gains 2400 attack points!" Thrasher held a hand to its chest as a wind surrounded it, powering the warrior up.

**Sunvine Thrasher ATK: 800 + (800 X 3) = 3200**

"Last but not least, I activate the Equip Spell card, Sunavalon Malice, and equip it to Thrasher." The card showed Sunvine Thrasher glowing with a dark aura. "When the equipped monster destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, I can target one 'Sunavalon' Link Monster I control and inflict damage equal to its Link Rating times 800!"

"This can't be..." Ace muttered, a look of surprise on his face.

"Oh, but it is." Specter replied, a sadistic grin on his face. "Battle! Sunvine Thrasher attacks Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed!" Thrasher charged at Zerrziel and slashed him in two horizontally, destroying him. The following explosion caused Ace to slightly wince.

**Ace: 2000 – 100 = 1900 LP**

"And since Thrasher destroyed your monster, I can target Dryades using Malice's effect! As Dryades is a Link 3 monster, you take 2400 points of damage!" A blast of energy came out of Sunavalon Malice and went straight towards Ace.

"So it's over then, huh?" Ace muttered to himself, as he started laughing. He continued to laugh, even after the blast knocked him off his feet and onto the ground.

**Ace: 1900 – 2400 = 0**

"Well done, Specter." Ryoken said, standing up along with Emon and Takuya as the virtual reality faded and Youta and Akihiko returned to their real-world appearances. The two men then ran down to the empty area to see if Akihiko was alright.

"Are you okay, sir?" one of the men asked, helping Akihiko up.

"Get off me!" Akihiko said, shoving the man's arm off of him. He then turned to Youta. "You people are interesting."

"So," Emon said, as he walked with Ryoken and Takuya to where Youta was, "are you satisfied with the Hanoi's strength and intelligence?

"I sure am!" Akihiko affirmed, walking over to where Emon was and offering a hand. "To the point where I'll honor our deal and partner with the Hanoi!"

"A wise decision." Emon replied, shaking Akihiko's friend. "And as Ryoken stated earlier, we'll gladly pay you for your assistance."

"I look forward to helping in anyway I can." Akihiko said. He then turned back to the two men in suits. "Okay, boys. Let's go back upstairs, shall we?" As the two men led everyone upstairs, Ryoken walked beside Youta.

"An excellent job today, Youta." Ryoken told him. "You did the Hanoi proud."

"Thank you, Master Ryoken." Youta responded. "May I ask a question though?"

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure about partnering up with Akihiko." Youta stated. "While I understand the situation at hand, I sense that something is not right about him. It's as though there's this darkness around him that no one knows about."

"I understand your concern." Ryoken said. "But we need allies if we're to get the Tower ready."

"Understood, Master Ryoken."

Once everyone went upstairs (and stood the table up), Akihiko had the two men get chairs for his 'new partners'.

"So." Akihiko said, sitting down on his red, velvet chair along with everyone else, who sat down in their respective chairs. "What exactly are you planning, and how can I help?"

"Before I begin," Ryoken said, "I want to know if you're aware of Cyberse monsters."

"Yes, yes. I'm aware of them." Akihiko verified. "Such mysterious beauties like them changed the world when SOL Technologies used them, along with data streams, for LINK VRAINS. And I understand that you're after something that originated from the Cyberse, rrrrriiiiggghhhttt?"

Ryoken nodded. "We have a weapon that we're preparing that will destroy our target. However, it will take time to prepare it."

"And on top of that," Emon continued, "there have been sightings of new Cyberse monsters in LINK VRAINS, held by these two Charisma Duelists." Emon pulled out a holo-device, which showed pictures of Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria. "We need their Cyberse cards for the weapon. In addition, we are also looking for a way to acquire this Cyberse card." After Emon pushed a button, the device showed a picture of World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy.

"Ah. So that's what you need." But before Akihiko could continue, his phone rang. "Excuse me," he said, as he went off to the side to take the call.

"Do you think he understands what exactly our target is?" Takuya asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's one of the most cunning men both in the real world and in LINK VRAINS." Emon answered, turning to face Takuya. "He'll eventually figure it out." Just then, Akihiko returned to the table and sat down in his chair.

"Gentleman. I have very good news. Two associates have just got back from their missions and are on our way here."

"Associates?" Ryoken repeated, crossing these arms. "How exactly will they help us?"

"Wwweeelllll," Akihiko replied. "Are you familiar with 'The Graceful Assassin'?"

Everyone's eyes widened in response to that question. However, Emon was the first to get his bearings together before asking, "Are you saying that 'The Graceful Assassin'-?"

"Is under my employment? Correct!" Akihiko answered, clapping his arms together. "She always gets the job done, and is a strong duelist too."

Just then, the door opened, revealing two women. The first was a middle-aged woman who had long, dirty blonde hair messily tied up by several large purple clips in the back, and is left to fall across her face at the front right. She wore heavy makeup consisting of heavy eye shadow and purple lipstick. Her attire consisted of a white turtleneck shirt and long white coat resembling a lab coat, as well as a dark purple pencil shirt that is heavily torn over the top of torn black stockings. She also wore simple black slip-on shoes decorated with two red triangles.

The second was a young woman who looked like she was in the middle of her teenage years. She had fair skin with grey eyes and neck-length black hair with red tips. She also wore a red tartan skirt, consisting of a white blouse with maroon trim and thin red bow, a brown vest with gold buttons and a maroon blazer with gold trim, alongside full-length black stockings and brown shoes.

"In fact, she's perfect for the job. Wouldn't you agree," Akihiko said, turning to the younger woman, "Tsubaki?"

**Card Gallery**

_Sunavalon Aegis (Normal Trap Card)_

_Effect: When your opponent declares an attack: You can negate that attack. If this card is in your Graveyard and a 'Sunavalon' or 'Sunvine' monster you control would be destroyed by battle: You can banish this card from your GY; this turn 'Sunavalon' and 'Sunvine' monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle, and any battle damage you take is halved. You can only use 1 'Sunavalon Aegis' effect per turn, and only once that turn._

_Sunvine Cleansing (Quick-Play Spell Card)_

_Effect: Target 1 'Sunvine' or 'Sunavalon' Link Monster you control; destroy Spell and Trap cards your opponent controls equal to its Link Rating. You can only activate 1 'Sunvine Cleansing' per turn._

_Sunavalon Malice (Equip Spell Card)_

_Effect: Equip only to a 'Sunvine' or 'Sunavalon' Link Monster you control. When the equipped monster destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the GY: You can target 1 'Sunavalon' Link Monster you control; inflict damage to your opponent equal to its Link Rating x 800._

_Link Supply (Normal Spell Card)_

_Effect: When this card is activated while you control a Link Monster: You can add 1 monster from your GY to your hand. If you Link Summon a Link Monster: You can banish this card from your GY; draw 1 card. You can only use each effect of 'Link Supply' once per turn. _

**QOTC**

_If Yuri and Specter dueled (with the new Master Rules of course), who do you think would win?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 22: The Graceful Assassin. Having received a message from Watchman regarding the emergence of the Cyberse monsters, Yuhiro logs into LINK VRAINS to hear him out. Meanwhile, the Hanoi test their newest ally with a dangerous task..._

**Author's Notes**

Wow, what a chapter! I do hope you enjoyed reading it, just as much as I enjoyed writing it. Anyhow, to the recap!

The first event that happened in this chapter was the conversation Yuhiro had with Aoi about Ghost Girl. I decided for him to tell her in this chapter to show his willingness to be around her, as well as to develop their _friendship_. Also, as indicated in this chapter, Herald has started to develop an interest in video games (starting with mobile games, of course). Eventually, Herald will play console games, but right now, he'll be playing mobile games. So if you have any recommendations in terms of mobile games you want to see him playing, don't hesitate to put them in your reviews.

The second event that happened was the Hanoi speaking to, and eventually recruiting Emon Uchida's client. As this occurred in the real world, it was important to give Specter his real-life identity, and I ultimately settled on Youta Itsuki (big thanks to HunterHQ for the help). One of the issues I had with Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS is that they didn't give us Specter's real-life identity, so with help, I created one for the story. Let me know what you think of this in your reviews.

The client that the Hanoi met is an OC created by And Then The Sky, who actually helped me early on in the story with some great advice. The client's name is Akihiko Akutagawa, a professional poker player at the Den City Casino. He uses an Evil Eye deck, which revolves around Evil Eye of Selene to provide additional attack points, destruction immunity, and target immunity.

As for who he'll be dueling against this chapter, I ultimately decided on him dueling Specter. Why? Because another thing that I did not like was Specter getting his butt kicked for a majority of his duels. I wanted to give Specter a win to show his prowess against a deck as unique as Evil Eye.

Finally, as a result of Specter's victory, the Hanoi were able to recruit Akihiko to their side. Also, before the chapter ends, two more characters show up. Who are they? How exactly will they help the Hanoi? And how do they ultimately impact the story in general?

Thank you for reading Chapter 21 of Obscured Truth. And rest assured, these questions will be answered in due time. As always, let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. In addition, constructive criticism is always welcome, as it helps make the story even better.

What was your favorite moment this chapter? Did you enjoy the duel? Are you excited for what's to come?

Have a good day everyone, and I will see you next time!


	22. Chapter 22: The Graceful Assassin

**Responses to Reviews**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Guest, ZeroMK7, yuman28, Electriuser, E.T. 2000, Slimslam, Lind. L. Taylor, KingOtakuOverYou, Decode Talker, Portal, Noobmaster, Cyber Warrior, Pikachu99, Akechi, and Portalus for reviewing Chapter 21 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everyone! I want to thank everyone for their positive and especially informative reviews. I'm happy that you all enjoyed the previous chapter, and that you enjoyed Ace's first appearance and duel. I forgot to mention in the previous chapter that Ace, along with the two other OC's that appeared briefly at the end will not be one-time characters. Rather, they'll be recurring characters that will have an impact on the story.

And for those of you who were curious about what Specter's name means in English, Youta means "Sun", while Itsuki means "Tree". I chose this name not just due to Specter's origin, but so that I can connect it to his deck as well.

It's now time to answer reviews!

HunterHQ: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, especially with the Justice League Dark references. To answer your question, from what I recall, the Hanoi ended up escaping right under everyone's noses following the Tower of Hanoi arc before reappearing again during Season 2. As for your second question regarding Ace, he likely got it from the black market.

Guest: If you recall from Chapter 7, Akira already told Aoi that Yusaku helped her when she was unconscious. She simply wished that Yusaku was just like Yuhiro, that's all. And if the Hanoi came across someone with a weapon, I'm pretty sure they'll be fine. As for your question regarding Ace, yes, he did cheat.

ZeroMK7: Thank you very much.

Yuman28: Revolver's goal during the Tower of Hanoi is to mainly fulfil his father's will in eliminating the Ignis. However, like Infearno regarding Raguel, he still has unfinished business with Playmaker. And the Knights of Hanoi do view Watchman as a threat (if I haven't clarified anything for you, then I apologize).

Electriuser: Raguel's final duel in Season 1 will be against Infearno. And why would Herald be against Raguel?

E.T. 2000: I'm happy you enjoyed the chapter, and I also hope that I clarified the meaning of Specter's name. Actually, you'll be happy to hear that I've used the appearance of Chiron from the Fate anime for Cyreath Chiron. Which means there's a good chance later on I could use the appearances of Perseus, Jason, Atlanta, and Medusa for OC cards. As for Zeus, I have an appearance planned already for him, but that doesn't mean I won't take your suggestion into account.

Slimslam: The Cyreath deck is based off of Greek Mythology. And Revolver is the mascot of the Knights of Hanoi. When exactly did Yuhiro say that Kazuma was the mascot? As for your _other_ question, I don't know why you put it down, but I'm not going to answer it.

Lind. L. Taylor: Kazuma and Infearno's origins will be shown later on in the story, during the Tower of Hanoi arc.

KingOtakuOverYou: A lot you wrote down, so I'll do my best to unpack and answer what you said to the best of my ability. First, I won't tell you obviously the name of Infearno's wife, but I can give you a hint: The answer lies in the heart of the cards. Second, regarding Tsubaki, I have a feeling you'll enjoy her debut this chapter. Third, unlike Playmaker (who has a perfect duel record), Yuhiro actually lost a duel against Watchman, and was pretty close to losing against Kazuma and Dancho. I do plan for him to lose against people in order to further develop his character. You just have to be patient and wait to see. Four, Yuhiro may be nice because of the people in his life that helped him (ex. Roxy, Stregone, Herald, Progleo.), but he does have an emotional side. Five, I did not intend for the Cyreath deck to be OP. Six, since when did Yuhiro break his deal with Watchman? Yuhiro's planning on breaking his deal with Monty, his boss on the black market, not Watchman. Seven, Yuhiro overkilled Kazuma because, although he was in control of his powers, they still awoke inside of him, causing him to act on his emotions (this will be revealed later on, so stay tuned). I do hope that I've clarified what I could.

Decode Talker: I'm glad you respect my decision, and I'm sorry that you're disappointed about it. If you don't mind me asking: Do _you_ want to see an opening for the Tower of Hanoi arc?

Portal: I'm glad you liked the poker part of the chapter. I hope you also liked the duel as well. For the Hanoi, I wanted to show in this chapter that they were more than just villains. Rather, they're family too. And do you really think Takuya is the least scrupulous? In Chapter 16, not only did he threaten to trap Yuhiro in LINK VRAINS forever, but he was willing to hurt him to win. As for your other comment, you just need to be patient...

Noobmaster: Technically, Ace cheated on his own during the duel between him and Specter. But yes, Takuya not only did it first, he did it better.

Cyber Warrior: I couldn't help but laugh after reading your comment.

Pikachu99: You do realize that Lightning won in the end, right? In a sense, he was inevitable.

Akechi: I think you were referring to Chapter 17. And I'm glad you liked it.

Portalus: While I can confirm that Rasterliger will appear, I won't tell you when.

Okay. With reviews out of the way, it's time for the chapter!

**Chapter 22: The Graceful Assassin**

_At Café Matsuo, in the morning..._

CLINK! CLINK! BANG! BANG!

"Ugh... What's that noise?" Yuhiro muttered, as he slowly got out of bed and scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, I can hear the clinking and banging all the way from up here." Herald commented, who was in his eyeball form.

"I'll check it out." Yuhiro got up and stretched before heading for the door to his bedroom. When he went downstairs, he figured out that the sound came from the backroom. "Roxy?" He poked his head inside, but found out she wasn't there. Which meant one thing.

"Oi, Yuhiro! Is that you?" Roxy called back from the workshop. "Get your ass over here! I got a few things to show you!"

"Be right there." Yuhiro replied, as he went over to the workshop. When he went inside, on the table in the middle, he saw several gauntlets. He also saw Roxy currently working on another one. "What's with all these gauntlets?"

"These, my friend, are the gauntlets I made since this morning." Roxy answered, wiping her forehead using a towel. "After what we've been through, I thought it'd be a good time to update your arsenal, wouldn't you agree?"

"I can definitely see that," Yuhiro agreed, picking up a gauntlet that was colored red and white, with a power canister at the top. "Which gauntlet is this?"

"I call it the Blazing Booster!" Roxy said, opening up a video on her tablet. "Just take a look and see how it works." Yuhiro headed over to where Roxy was as she clicked play on the video.

In the video, a figure equipped the new gauntlet on their right hand. Next to them was an enormous concrete wall. The figure took the power canister from the gauntlet and put it into their double-barrelled gun before reloading it. They then aimed the gun at the concrete wall and fired at it, causing a massive explosion and leaving a huge hole in the middle of the wall.

The next clip showed the same thing, only the figure took the power canister and put it into their sword before revving it up. Holding the sword with two hands, the figure then made a fiery horizontal slice before making a vertical slice, cutting the wall in four perfect pieces.

"Okay, now that's amazing!" Yuhiro stated, a huge grin on his face. "So this gauntlet boosts my weapons, I take it?"

"Yes." Roxy confirmed, going over to where the other gauntlets were and picking one up. The one in her hand was colored black and gold, with several pink orbs on the hand part, as well as the palm. A golden ring decorated the gauntlet. "But with great power comes great responsibility. In this case, once you activate it, you gotta control it, or else you'll screw yourself over."

"Duly noted." Yuhiro then realized something. "The Blazing Booster was based off of Numera's Geomathmech Final Sigma, right? If so, which duel monster served as inspiration for the gauntlet you're carrying right now?"

"Quinton's Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic of course." Roxy answered with a smile, causing Yuhiro to smile as she walked over and gave the gauntlet to him. "What do you think?"

"The design's cool," Yuhiro replied, "but I'd like to know how it can help me in LINK VRAINS."

"Done and done." Roxy pulled up a video and pressed play, getting Yuhiro's attention.

In the video, a figure equipped the new gauntlet on their right hand. In front of them was a group of enemies. The enemies fired a round of bullets at the figure as they fired a blast in front of them, revealing a portal, to which the bullets went through. After pressing a few buttons, the portal reappeared, only behind the enemies, shredding them with bullets.

"Okay, now that is awesome!" Yuhiro commented.

"Keep watching!" Roxy told him.

The video continued playing, where the figure fired several small blasts of energy high enough around a group of enemies, surrounding them. After firing a small portal in front of him, the figure fired a load of bullets from his double-barrelled gun, which came out of the other portals and killed them.

"Alright, I'm so using this gauntlet!" Yuhiro said, after watching the video. "You know, I'm thinking of naming this baby 'The Surpriser'."

"Surpriser? Really?" Roxy turned to Yuhiro and knocked on his head several times. "That's not a real word, you doofus. I'd name it 'The Astonisher.'"

"But that's still not a word, Roxy." Yuhiro complained.

"Uh, actually, it is." Roxy pointed out. "And a fair warning: You can only fire either several small bursts or one big one at a time. So plan ahead."

"Ugh. Fine." Yuhiro conceded. "Anyway, what's the last one?"

"Well," Roxy said, walking with Yuhiro to where the third gauntlet was, "the third gauntlet was made by using Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty as inspiration. In other words, one of its claws." Sure enough, the gauntlet look liked a bird's claw. There was only one difference, though. The gauntlet had a tapered gold spiral with a four-pronged claw hand at the tip.

"And I'm guessing you have a name already for it?" Yuhiro asked.

"Correct!" Roxy confirmed, showing Yuhiro the gauntlet. "I call it the 'Drill Prong'. Get it? Because it looks like a bird's claw?" She sighed when Yuhiro raised an eyebrow at her comment. "Just watch the video."

When the video started playing, it showed the figure putting on the Drill Prong gauntlet on their right arm. In front of them was a random Knight of Hanoi. When the Knight of Hanoi attempted to get away from them and jump onto their duel board, the figure grabbed them by the collar and threw them back to the ground.

"Okay. So this 'Drill Prong' has a very good vice grip." Yuhiro commented. "Where exactly is the 'Drill' part supposed to come in?"

As if to answer Yuhiro, the figure grabbed the Knight of Hanoi using their other arm, and within moments, the gauntlet turned into a drill, scaring the poor grunt.

"Never mind."

"Birds usually have a good grip when it comes to catching their prey." Roxy explained, turning off the tablet. "I made that gauntlet to provide you with an extra grip. The Drill part can also help in interrogation, break-in, and even fighting scenarios."

"Roxy, there's no way I'm drilling someone to death." Yuhiro pointed out, crossing his arms. "If anything, I'd rather use my sword and double-barrelled gun."

Suddenly, both Yuhiro's and Roxy's phones vibrated. When they looked at them, their eyes widened in surprise.

"We need to head to the backroom."

"Agreed." The two of them ran to the backroom and turned on the monitor. Once that was done, the screen showed a notification, indicating a new message.

"A new message this early in the morning?" Roxy said, rubbing her eyes. "I honestly can't believe it."

"Let's see what it is first." Yuhiro suggested. Moving the mouse over to the message, he clicked and opened it up. When they looked at who sent the message, their eyes narrowed.

_To: Raguel_

_From: Watchman_

_Raguel,_

_Please meet me in LINK VRAINS at these coordinates below:_

_**Oiug2p34uttpoiyetpiqweyt9qt90032y5088332k**_

_We have much to discuss._

_Watchman._

"Well, we did expect him to message us eventually." Yuhiro said.

"Best not to keep him waiting." Roxy advised, turning to face him. "Go grab a small breakfast along with your Duel Disk and get your ass back here."

After nodding his head, Yuhiro got up from his seat and ran upstairs to the kitchen, where he grabbed a MadeGood granola bar and chomped it down. He then went to his room and grabbed his Duel Disk. A curious Progleo ended up running after him.

"Hey, what's going on?" Herald asked. "I was in the middle of-."

"That can wait." Yuhiro told him. "We have to go into LINK VRAINS."

"Oh. I see." Herald replied, his eyes narrowing as though he understood what was going on.

Once Yuhiro made it to the backroom, he knelt down to Progleo's level, who went back into the Duel Disk.

"The three gauntlets I showed you have already been downloaded into your Duel Disk." Roxy told him, as he stood back up. "If I have to guess as to what Watchman wants to talk about, it probably has to do with the two Cyberse cards that appeared in LINK VRAINS."

"Yeah." Yuhiro agreed, as he walked over to the closed-off space. "You'll be the first to know if something goes amiss."

"Obviously." Roxy rolled her eyes. "After all, I am _your_ tech support."

Yuhiro chuckled. "Ha Ha. Very funny." He then went into the closed-off space and closed the door.

He then put his deck into his Duel Disk and said, "Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel blasted out of a portal and landed onto a rooftop in LINK VRAINS, overlooking the entire network.

"These are the coordinates, right Herald?" Raguel asked, as Herald emerged from his Duel Disk.

"From the looks of it, yes." Herald replied. "Though I don't see-."

"You're here too, Raguel? I suppose it was expected," a voice said, causing Raguel to look up. Sure enough, it was Numera, who was being carried down by Geomathmech Final Sigma. "Thanks for the trip, protector." And Final Sigma disappeared into Numera's Duel Disk.

"Numera," Raguel said, as the little girl walked up to him. "I didn't expect Watchman to send you a message as well. If that's the case, then today's meeting must be serious."

"Obviously. After all, I am at his service." Numera reminded him.

"You're both here. Good. Then we can get started." Raguel and Numera turned behind them. Only to see Watchman emerge from an orange gateway, which closed behind him. In one of his hands was the Spatial Cube.

"Glad you came on time." Raguel said to Watchman. "I'm guessing this has to do with the two Cyberse cards that recently appeared?"

"Correct." Watchman confirmed, as the Spatial Cube created two images of Crusadia Equimax and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme. "Crusadia Equimax and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme. Two Cyberse monsters that heeded my warning before the Hanoi attacked the Cyberse world."

"What are you talking about?" Numera asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Before the Hanoi attacked," Watchman explained, "I went to the Cyberse World to warn the residents there of the impeding attack. While a few listened, the others... Well, that's not important right now. What's important is that their appearances can draw unwanted attention."

"Like the Hanoi..." Raguel theorized.

"Yes." Watchman said. "It is therefore imperative that we retrieve them before they did."

"So you want us to steal?" Numera asked, crossing her arms.

"I'm afraid so." Watchman answered. "I've seen their duels myself, and although the duelists who use them are alright, they simply don't know what they're really handling."

Raguel put a hand on his chin. "But what if someone taught them how to properly use their Cyberse monsters? I mean, I saw how Reidrith used Crusadia Equimax in his duel against Go-."

"I don't like this decision anymore than you do." Watchman admitted. "But we must do this not only to protect them, but to protect innocent lives as well."

"Well, that works for me!" Numera said, turning around and walking away from them. "I'll go look over all of LINK VRAINS to find them."

"Hold on, Numera-." Raguel said, but Watchman interrupted them.

"There's one more thing I wanted to talk to you about." The Spatial Cube in his hand then created an image of a blue core with two rings, one above the other, orbiting around it. There were also two yellow ribbons beside the core in a zig-zag formation.

"What exactly is that?" Raguel asked. "It's massive."

"No way..." Herald said. "That's-!"

"World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy." Watchman clarified. "The very thing that powers the Cyberse World itself."

"I thought it was destroyed when the Hanoi attacked!" Herald exclaimed. "How in the blazes did it escape?"

Numera turned around at this information. She had to admit, she was curious.

"It took a lot of energy, but I transported it away from the chaos." Watchman told them. "From what my sources say, it's secure in a vault, guarded by SOL Technologies."

"While I don't want SOL's hands on that Cyberse monster, its better they have it than the Hanoi." Herald admitted.

"But they must be aware that a Cyberse monster like that exists Herald." Raguel told him. "And if they are, they'll waste no time in obtaining it."

"If I may," Numera said, interrupting them, "wouldn't it be a good idea to acquire a powerful Cyberse monster as this before the Hanoi does?" Raguel couldn't help but agree with her. After all, he already travelled to SOL Technologies' mother computer before, and if that was where it was, he would be willing to do it again.

"No. Not right now." Watchman firmly told her. "After I helped hid it, I went back and attempted to move it to a different, secure location. However, it refused, and forced me to retreat."

He then walked past Raguel and Numera and looked out across the entire network. "I'll investigate the matter regarding World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy. In the meantime..." He turned his head to look at them. "You two should seek out the Cyberse monsters and their owners."

"Wait. Watchman!" Raguel said, but Watchman turned into orange particles and disappeared.

"Well, that was interesting." Numera commented. "I'll look on the west end, see if I find anything. You look on the east end."

"All right." Numera jumped off of the building and onto her duel board, speeding off in the process.

After making sure no one was watching him, Raguel let out a sigh of frustration.

"You're not seriously planning on stealing those cards, are you Yuhiro?" Roxy asked through his earpiece.

"Obviously!" Raguel stated. "Everyone knows that if a duelist loses their best card, its like losing a part of themselves. Something about it doesn't feel right."

"What if you tested Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria?" Herald suggested. "You can duel them and see if they can really handle using Cyberse cards."

"It's not a bad idea..." Roxy added. "If I were you, I'd give it a try."

Raguel pondered that idea for a few moments. He had to admit. It wasn't a bad one. After all, he didn't _want_ to take those cards from their owners, but as long as they had them, the Hanoi would certainly be after them.

"Alright," he finally decided. "I'll take your words into account, Herald." He then jumped off the building and onto his duel board before turning right.

"I'm glad you're being rational about this, Yuhiro." Roxy said. "I may have been a black-market agent once, but I know that taking a duelist's card is just plain-out wrong."

"You and me both, Roxy." Raguel agreed with her, as he pushed a few buttons on his Duel Disk. Three E.M.S. came out, reporting for duty.

"Okay, you little bugs." Herald said. "Find these targets." He then showed the E.M.S.' pictures of Crusadia Equimax and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme. After scanning them, the flies saluted at Herald and Raguel before flying in different directions.

"You upgraded Roxy's tech a while back, didn't you?" Raguel asked Herald.

"Of course I did!" Herald confirmed. "It has to be top notch for your missions."

"WHAT?" Roxy suddenly screeched through Raguel's earpiece, causing him to put his right hand on it. "You upgraded my tech without ASKING?"

Raguel couldn't help but snicker. "Okay, Roxy. Calm down."

"No. I am not calming down! Once you get back here Herald, I'll-!"

"Whoops!" Herald said. "I just muted her."

"Thank you." Raguel said. He then narrowed his eyes as he focused on the task at hand. _Where could you both be_, he thought, as he sped off to the east end of LINK VRAINS.

_At the Hanoi Stronghold..._

"Master Revolver. We managed to identify the most likely location the Cyberse cards will show up," Specter said, looking at the monitor along with Revolver. "At some Charisma event or what-not."

"Good work, Specter." Revolver praised him. "We'll target them once the crowd is gone." He turned to the middle-aged woman he saw last night along with the woman whom Ace called 'The Graceful Assassin'. "Were you able to find anything on how we can acquire World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy, Athaliah?"

"This creature that you describe, it's nothing like I've ever seen." Athaliah said, a screen in front of her. "It's sentience is truly _magnificent_."

"I didn't ask about the Cyberse card, Athaliah!" Revolver firmly stated, narrowing his eyes. "I asked if there was a way to get it from SOL Technologies!" Although Ace told him that Athaliah was exceptional in breaking into databases, he did not want someone who was fascinated with the Cyberse on the Hanoi. To the point where they would betray them out of curiosity.

But desperate times called for desperate measures. _Once the Tower rises_, Revolver thought, _we'll find out where her loyalties lie_. If they were with anyone else but the Hanoi, then he would eliminate her without mercy.

Athaliah turned around and looked at Revolver. "Regarding your question, I'm afraid not. But I did, however, find a dataprint."

"A dataprint?" Specter repeated, turning to Athaliah. "Who's?"

"I'm running a cross-reference as we speak." Athaliah replied, another screen appearing beside her as a purple, gooey string formed into a small hand from her back and started completed the task. Both Revolver and Specter looked away in disgust upon seeing that. "If you excuse me, I should be getting back to work." And Athaliah walked away from them to complete her task.

"At least we have a lead." Specter said, putting a hand on his chin. "A human was responsible for putting World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy into that vault in SOL Technologies. Do you think Watchman was behind this?"

"Maybe." Revolver theorized, turning back to Specter. "But we won't know for certain until we collect _all_ the information. In the meantime, we should focus on collecting the Cyberse cards."

He then turned behind him to see a young woman who looked like she was in the middle of her teenage years. Just like in the real world, she had fair skin, along with neck-length black hair with red tips. However, that was where the similarities stopped. Her face was covered by a white mask, with a red mark that ran through the mask's eyes. She wore a black long-sleeved dress with a high collar and red trim on her sleeves and dress, over which is a black waist clincher with red lacing up the front. She also wore a pair of thick black stockings and black combat boots with red laces, red trims around the top, and red soles.

Her outfit was topped with a red-hooded cloak fastened to her shoulders by cross-shaped pins. Around her hips on an angle was a wide silver black belt, with a rose emblem on it. Finally, at her waist was a red medium-sized converting frame.

Ace told Revolver that she was known in LINK VRAINS as 'The Graceful Assassin'. However, after some research, he found out her real LINK VRAINS ID: Rosetta.

"Rosetta." Revolver said to the young woman, motioning for her to come to where he and Specter were. "We have something to show you."

Rosetta walked over to where Revolver and Specter were. She then looked at the monitors that displayed Crusadia Equimax and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme. Behind the mask, her eyes widened in pure rage.

"These duel monsters aren't like anything you've faced." Revolver continued. "They are-."

"Cyberse monsters..." Rosetta seethed through her mask. "Wretched creatures..."

"Oh, so you already know what they are?" Specter said, slightly impressed. "In that case, you must know your task then?"

"You can consider this your test." Revolver added, turning to Rosetta. "The Hanoi won't accept new recruits based on word of mouth. Rather, we want to see results." He turned his head back to the monitor. "All you need to do is simply acquire these two Cyberse cards and bring them back to us. If you succeed, you'll have earned your spot among us."

Rosetta nodded. She got the chance to defeat not one, but two Cyberse cards. This was her lucky day indeed.

"You leave this to me." Rosetta promised. "I'll bring those cards back, but I can't guarantee anything." And she logged out of the Hanoi Stronghold.

"Do you think she'll succeed, Master Revolver?" Specter asked him.

"Who knows?" Revolver simply replied. "After all, anything can happen..."

_Meanwhile, in LINK VRAINS..._

"Battle!" Jeanne declared. "Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme attacks you directly! Rainbow Fall!" On her command, Spectrum Supreme flew up high into the air, before firing several rainbow blasts of energy at the opponent, causing his life points to reach zero.

"Aw man! I lost," the boy said.

"I hope you enjoyed the dazzling performance, everyone!" Jeanne said to the crowd, who replied with cheers of her name.

"That... was amazing." Reidrith said, after witnessing Jeanne's spectacular finish. He had some time to kill after his community shift. So he logged into LINK VRAINS to watch Jeanne's performance, and hopefully get her autograph.

After a few minutes of shoving and weaving through the crowd, Reidrith managed to find Jeanne, who, as he guessed, was giving out autographs.

"Excuse me, Ms. Azaria?" Reidrith said, finally getting to where she was. He pulled out his tablet, which showed a picture of Spectrum Supreme. "I hope you can autograph this poster. It's for a charity event, and I want to put it in as a prize for an upcoming fundraiser."

"Of course I can." Jeanne said, pulling out a pen and signing it. After doing so, she looked at Reidrith and recognized him. "Hold on. You're the #7 Charisma Duelist, correct? The same one who dueled Go Onizuka?"

"Uh, yes." Reidrith answered, chuckling. "I hoped you didn't mind a Charisma Duelist attending your event."

"Not at all." Jeanne replied. "After all, more Charisma Duelists at an event means more good publicity, don't you think?"

For a second time, Reidrith chuckled. "I suppose you make a valid point." The next thing they knew, the crowd started to rush at them, as they immediately realized there were _two_ Charisma Duelists at the event. "I expected a crowd, but I didn't expect it to grow in size this quickly!"

"Leave this to me." Jeanne said, holding up a card. "World Legacy Core!" Soon, a bright light filled the air, causing the crowd to cover their eyes.

When the light faded and they could see properly, they gasped aloud. Jeanne and Reidrith were gone!

"Huh?"

"Where did they go?"

"Was this part of the act?"

The crowd started talking to each other as to where Reidrith and Jeanne could have gone. But unbeknownst to them, Rosetta was on a nearby rooftop, looking down at them using her binoculars.

"Interesting..." Rosetta murmured, as she pressed a few buttons on her Duel Disk. "You Cyberse creatures can run, but you can't hide from 'The Graceful Assassin'." Within moments, her Duel Disk started beeping, indicating that she got the trail. After pulling the hood part of her cloak over her head, Rosetta leaped down to the ground and vanished among the crowd, intent on tracking her targets down.

_In another area of LINK VRAINS..._

"That was close." Reidrith said, wiping sweat off his face with his left forearm. "I'll admit, even though I'm a Charisma Duelist, I get stage fright."

"Trust me, you get used to it." Jeanne told him. "You know, I have some time to kill. If you want, we can help each other get stronger as Charisma Duelists."

"Seriously?" Reidrith said. His day just got better. "I'd be-."

"If you want to get stronger, then why don't you duel me!" a voice said, startling the two of them. When they turned around, they saw Rosetta behind them.

"Excuse me," Jeanne said, "but we were about to have our duel. So you can just wait until our duel is-."

But before Jeanne could finish, Rosetta pulled out two sharp rose petals from her belt and threw them at both Charisma Duelists. Jeanne and Reidrith raised their left arms instinctively, and the sharp rose petals hit their Duel Disks, turning them on.

"My Duel Petals will force you both to duel me, whether you like it or not." Rosetta explained. "And if you refuse, this happens." She snapped her fingers, causing an eerie black skull to appear on Jeanne and Reidrith's Duel Disks.

"What did you do?" Reidrith demanded.

"Until you accept the duel," Rosetta replied, "my program will infect your Duel Disk, rendering both it and your deck useless. My question is: Are you prepared to lose _everything_?"

"We both accept your challenge!" Jeanne answered. "But I'll tell you now: We won't be the ones losing everything!"

Reidrith nodded. Although he didn't get the chance to duel Jeanne, he at least could fight with her against this crazy chick who was out to get them.

"We won't be losing!" Reidrith stated.

"Let's see if your declarations either stand tall or fade away." Rosetta grinned behind her mask, as she readied her Duel Disk along with the others.

"Duel!" the three duelists shouted.

**Rosetta: 4000 LP**

**Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria: 4000 LP**

"I'll go first!" Rosetta immediately said. "I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Seed Cannon!" A massive thorned flower cannon appeared beside her. "Each time a Plant monster is summoned, I'm allowed to place one Plant counter on this card. Next, I activate another Continuous-Spell card, The World Tree!" A massive tree appeared behind her. "Each time a Plant monster is destroyed, I can place a Flower counter on this card. I now summon Baobaboon from my hand!" A hybrid of a tree and baboon was summoned to her field.

**Baobaboon ATK: 1200 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"Baobaboon's effect!" Rosetta added. "When it's Normal or Special Summoned, I can draw one card, then place one card from my hand to either the top or bottom of my deck." She drew the top card of her deck before selecting another card in her hand and placing it at the top of her deck.

"Seed Cannon's effect activates! Because I summoned a Plant monster, I can place one Plant counter on this card!" Seed Cannon glowed as a counter was placed on it.

**Seed Cannon PC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"I activate the Spell card, Fragrance Storm! I can target a Plant monster on my field and destroy it. By doing so, I get to draw a card, and if that card was a Plant monster, I get to draw a second card. I therefore target and destroy Baobaboon!" A tornado of roses suddenly appeared and destroyed Baobaboon, turning the creature into particles.

"I draw!" Rosetta declared, drawing the top card of her deck. Upon looking at it, she smirked and revealed what she drew. "The card I drew was Rose Fairy, which means I get to draw another card." Rosetta then drew another card from the top of her deck.

"At this point, I use Rose Fairy's effect! Since it was added to my hand by a card effect, I get to Special Summon it!" A small fairy with rosy red eyes, pink skin and wings flew onto her field. Her hands and feet were decorated with rosy gloves and shoes. She also had a rose petal as hair.

**Rose Fairy ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LV: 3 **

"The effects of both Seed Cannon and The World Tree activate!" Rosetta continued. "First, because I summoned a Plant monster, I can place one Plant counter on Seed Cannon. Second, because a Plant monster was destroyed, I can place one Flower counter on The World Tree." Both Seed Cannon and The World Tree glowed as they each gained counters.

**Seed Cannon PC: 1 + 1 = 2**

**The World Tree FC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"I activate Baobaboon's effect from my Graveyard! Since it was destroyed by battle or card effect, I can Special Summon as many copies of this card from my deck as possible!" Two cards popped out of her deck. "Now emerge and serve me!" Soon, two more Baobaboons were summoned to Rosetta's field in defence position. They were in the Main Monster Zones below the Extra Monster Zones.

**Baobaboon ATK: 1200 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

**Baobaboon ATK: 1200 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"The effects of both my Baobaboons activate!" Rosetta said. "Since they were both summoned, each of them lets me draw a card from my deck. But in exchange, I must place one card from my hand to either the top or bottom of my deck." Rosetta then drew two cards from her deck. She chose to keep the one she drew and place a card in her hand to the bottom of her deck. As for the other card, Rosetta simply chose to send it to the bottom of her deck as well.

"Seed Cannon's effect!" Seed Cannon glowed for a third time as two more Plant counters were placed on it.

**Seed Cannon PC: 2 + 1 + 1 = 4**

"Do you think she's planning to Link Summon?" Reidrith asked Jeanne.

"Maybe." Jeanne replied. "Or she could be planning something else for us."

"Tell me something you two." Rosetta said, getting Reidrith and Jeanne's attention. "Do you want to _scream_?" Their eyes widened in horror in response to that question.

"Scream? What do you mean?" Jeanne demanded. "Answer me!"

"Why answer when I can show you instead!" Rosetta replied, thrusting out her left hand. "I activate Seed Cannon's second effect! By sending this card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can inflict 500 points of damage for each Plant counter on it!" The thorned flower cannon opened its petals. "Since there are four Plant counters, you take 2000 points of damage!"

"But that's half our life points!" Reidrith exclaimed. Jeanne was also in shock at that statement.

"I know." Rosetta coldly stated the obvious. "Fire!" At once, Seed Cannon fired a barrage of seeds at Reidrith and Jeanne, which hurt. A lot. The cannon then disappeared from Rosetta's field.

**Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria: 4000 – 2000 = 2000 LP**

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Rosetta concluded. "If you two truly call yourselves Charisma Duelists, then you'll respond the same way I did."

"My turn! I draw!" Reidrith said, drawing the top card of his deck. "First, I activate the Field Spell card, Crusadia Revival! Now all 'Crusadia' Link Monsters on the field gain 500 attack points! Next, I summon Crusadia Draco from my hand!" A green dragon wearing golden diamond-like armor, along with a small ornament on its horn appeared on their field.

**Crusadia Draco ATK: 600 DEF: 2000 LV: 4**

"Now I shall bring out my circuit of courage!" A Link Portal appeared above Reidrith and Jeanne. "The summoning conditions are one 'Crusadia' monster, except Crusadia Magius! I'll set Crusadia Draco into the Link Markers!" Draco went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come forth! Link 1! Crusadia Magius!" A small, red paladin with a purple cape appeared on Reidrith's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. His hat was adorned with a golden crown with blue jewels, and in each of his hands, he carried a sword.

**Crusadia Magius ATK: 100 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Revival's effect now activates!"

**Crusadia Magius ATK: 100 + 500 = 600**

"I activate my Trap card, Rose Curse!" Rosetta suddenly said. "I can only activate this card when the attack points of your monster changes. You take damage equal to the difference between your monster's current and previous attack points!"

"Crap!" Reidrith said, as a whirlwind of roses hit both him and Jeanne, lowering their life points.

**Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria: 2000 – 500 = 1500 LP**

"She got us again? And this time on our turn?" Jeanne said. She turned to Reidrith. "We have to defeat her quickly."

"Noted." Reidrith agreed. "I activate the effect of Crusadia Leonis from my hand! I'm allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand in defense position to a zone a Link Monster points to!" Soon, a blue-skinned lion with a long, blond mane roared as it was summoned to their field in the Main Monster Zone Magius was pointing to. Like Magius, the lion also wore a golden crown as it took a defensive position.

**Crusadia Leonis ATK: 1200 DEF: 1600 LV: 4**

"Magius' effect! It gains attack points equal to the attack points of the monster it points to!" Magius was surrounded in a golden aura as he powered up.

**Crusadia Magius ATK: 600 + 1200 = 1800**

"In addition, I can now activate Magius' second effect!" Reidrith continued. "Since an effect monster was Special Summoned to the zone it points to, I can add a 'Crusadia' monster from my deck to my hand!" Thanks to Magius' effect, a card popped out of Reidrith's deck, letting him add Crusadia Reclusia to his hand.

"Once again, I shall bring out the circuit of courage!" A second Link Portal appeared above Reidrith and Jeanne. "The summoning conditions are two effect monsters, including a 'Crusadia' monster! I'll set Crusadia Magius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Crusadia Leonis into the Link Markers!" Magius went into the bottom arrowhead, while Leonis went into the top arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Crusadia Regulex!" A lion in titanium armor with a blazing mane and two braided ponytails emerged from the Link Portal and appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on their field.

**Crusadia Regulex ATK: 1000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

**Crusadia Regulex ATK: 1000 + 500 = 1500**

"I activate the effect of Crusadia Arboria from my hand!" Reidrith added. "Just like with Leonis, I'm allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand in defense position to a zone a Link Monster points to!" A female elf with long, green hair was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Regulex was pointing to. She wore ancient, elven clothing, and carried a short sword in her right hand. There was also a small tiara on her head.

**Crusadia Arboria ATK: 800 DEF: 1800 LV: 3**

"Regulex's effects now activate! Just like with Magius, it gains attack points equal to the attack points it points to. Also, because an effect monster was Special Summoned to a zone it points to, I can now add a 'Crusadia' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" As a golden aura surrounded Regulex, a card popped out of Reidrith's deck once again, letting him add Crusadia Vanguard to his hand.

**Crusadia Regulex ATK: 1500 + 800 = 2300**

"Now I'll create my circuit for a third time!" Reidrith declared, as a third Link Portal appeared above him and Jeanne. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters, including a Link monster! I'll set Crusadia Regulex, which is a Link 2 monster, and Crusadia Arboria into the Link Markers!" Regulex went into the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads, while Arboria went into the top arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The righteous champion shall rise, ready for what's to come! Link 3! Crusadia Equimax!" Soon, a centaur in golden armor with blue lines running through it galloped out of the Link Portal and appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on their field. His helmet had four spikes that sprouted out of the back, along with a long, blue tail. Equimax brandished his long blade, ready for battle.

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 2000 LINK-3 **↙️⬆️↘️

**Crusadia Equimax ATK: 2000 + 500 = 2500**

_That's one of the Cyberse monsters I have to obtain_, Rosetta thought, as she looked at Equimax.

"If you think I'm stopping here, you're wrong!" Reidrith said. "I activate Revival's second effect! I can target one 'Crusadia' Link monster I control, and by doing so, it can attack all monsters you control once each!" Rosetta's eyes widened in surprise, although her opponents couldn't see her reaction due to the mask on her face.

"Battle! Crusadia Equimax first attacks your Rose Fairy! Courageous Charge!" Equimax charged forward at Rose Fairy and slashed her, causing a massive explosion that resulted in Rosetta using her arm to shield herself from the blast.

**Rosetta: 4000 – 1900 = 2100 LP**

"The battle still continues!" Reidrith added. "Crusadia Equimax attacks both of your Baobaboons! Courageous Charge!" Equimax charged at each of the Baobaboons and slashed them as well, turning both of them into particles.

"I activate the effect of The World Tree!" Rosetta said. "Whenever a Plant monster is destroyed, I can place a Flower counter on it. Since three Plant monsters were destroyed, I can place three Flower counters on The World Tree!" The tree behind her glowed as it gained three more Flower counters.

**The World Tree FC: 1 + 3 = 4**

"In that case, I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Reidrith concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" Rosetta said, drawing the top card of her deck. "I activate the Spell card, Card of Adversity. Since I control no monsters and you control a Special Summoned monster, I'm allowed to draw two cards from my deck!" She then proceeded to draw the top two cards of her deck.

"Next, I summon Lord Poison from my hand!" A fiendish, muddy creature with spikes all over its body, as well as claws, floated onto Rosetta's field.

**Lord Poison ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"I also activate the Equip Spell card, Mark of the Rose!" Rosetta added. "By banishing a Plant monster from my Graveyard, I'm allowed to target a monster you control and equip it with this card. Afterwards, I can then take control of it! I banish Baobaboon to equip your Crusadia Equimax with Mark of the Rose!" A rose mark then emerged from the card and went onto Equimax. Upon doing so, a dark aura surrounded him, as he went over to Rosetta's side of the field.

"What did you do to my monster?" Reidrith demanded. This was not good at all.

"Simple. It's under my control now." Rosetta replied, grinning behind her mask. "Battle! Crusadia Equimax attacks you both directly!" Equimax charged at both Charisma Duelists, but...

"Counter-Trap, activate!" Reidrith suddenly said. "Negate Attack! This card negates your attack and ends the Battle Phase!" A whirling barrier appeared and protected the Charisma Duelists from Equimax's attack.

"I activate the Continuous-Trap, Crusadia Krawler as well. This card lets me Special Summon it as an effect monster to our field." A golden mechanical insect with blue lines and one eye appeared on Reidrith and Jeanne's field.

**Crusadia Krawler ATK: 300 DEF: 2100 LV: 2**

"So you survived..." Rosetta muttered. "I Set one card face-down and end my turn. As my turn is over, Mark of the Rose's effect is negated, and your monster is returned to your side of the field." Equimax disappeared from Rosetta's field and reappeared on Reidrith and Jeanne's field in the Main Monster Zone below the right Extra Monster Zone.

"My turn! I draw!" Jeanne said, drawing the top card of her deck.

"Jeanne." Reidrith said, getting her attention. "Use my cards too."

Jeanne nodded. She then used her Duel Disk to look at her field, and gritted her teeth. _This girl placed Lord Poison in the Main Monster Zone below the left Extra Monster Zone_, she thought. _Her face-down card is also in the same column the right Extra Monster Zone is. In addition, Crusadia Equimax is in the Main Monster Zone the right Extra Monster Zone._ Which meant that no matter which Extra Monster Zone Jeanne used to Link Summon Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme, it couldn't attack directly. However...

"I Set one card face-down." Jeanne said. "Next, I activate the effect of Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse from my hand! Since there are two or more cards in the same column, I can Special Summon this card to that same column!" Soon, a silver machine with a circle around its body and blue crystals embedded in its armor appeared in attack position on their field.

**Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse ATK: 2400 DEF: 2400 LV: 8**

"Indigo Eclipse's second effect! Once per turn, I can move one 'Mekk-Knight' monster I control to another Main Monster Zone. I therefore move Indigo Eclipse to the column on its left!" Indigo Eclipse then shifted to the Main Monster Zone on the left.

"I activate the effect of Mekk-Knight Blue Sky from my hand!" Jeanne continued. "Since there are two or more cards in the same column, I can Special Summon this card to that same column!" A mechanical warrior with gold and blue armor and a blue cape appeared on their field, carrying two curved swords.

**Mekk-Knight Blue Sky ATK: 2000 DEF: 2500 LV: 5**

"Appear! The circuit of colors!" Soon, a Link Portal appeared above Jeanne and Reidrith. "The summoning conditions are two monsters, including a 'Mekk-Knight' monster! I'll set Crusadia Krawler and Mekk-Knight Blue Sky into the Link Markers!" Krawler went into the bottom-arrowhead, while Blue Sky went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star!" A large, grey bipedal machine with blue lines running across its armor appeared on their field in the right Extra Monster Zone. Instead of hands, it had two electrodes, one of which created a blade of yellow fire.

**Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ↙️↘️

"Morning Star's effect activates!" Jeanne added. "When it is Link Summoned, by discarding a 'Mekk-Knight' monster or 'World Legacy' card, I get to add a 'World Legacy' card from my deck to my hand." She discarded Mekk-Knight World Legacy's Secret to add World Legacy Whispers to her hand.

"Appear, once again! The circuit of colors!" A second Link Portal appeared above Jeanne and Reidrith. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Mekk-Knight' monsters! I'll set Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star, which is a Link 2 monster, and Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse into the Link Markers!" Morning Star split into two and entered the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads, while Indigo Eclipse went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Emerge and display the colors of the rainbow! Link 3! Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme!" A monster that was the combination of all the Mekk-Knight monsters emerged from the Link Portal and landed onto their field in the left Extra Monster Zone.

**Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme ATK: 3000 LINK-3** ↙️⬇️↘️

"That's the second Cyberse monster..." Rosetta muttered behind her mask. She checked the card on the field using her Duel Disk. After reading its effects, she narrowed her eyes. _It may appear invulnerable, but it won't be that way for long_, she thought.

"Battle!" Jeanne declared. "Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme attacks Lord Poison! Rainbow Fall!" Spectrum Supreme flew up high into the air, before firing several rainbow blasts of energy at Lord Poison, destroying it completely and lowering Rosetta's life points.

**Rosetta: 2100 – 1500 = 600 LP**

"I activate Lord Poison's effect!" Rosetta said. "Since it was destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I can target a Plant monster in my Graveyard except Lord Poison and Special Summon it to my field. Return, Rose Fairy!" The small fairy from before reappeared on Rosetta's field and took a kneeling position, indicating that it was Special Summoned in defense position.

**Rose Fairy ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LV: 3 **

"The battle still continues!" Jeanne stated. "Crusadia Equimax attacks your Rose Fairy!" Equimax charged forward and slashed Rose Fairy, destroying it.

"I activate the effect of The World Tree." Rosetta calmly said. "As Plant monsters were destroyed this turn, I can place Flower counters on it. Therefore, since two Plant monsters were destroyed, I can place two more Flower counters on it." The World Tree glowed once more as it gained more counters.

**The World Tree FC: 4 + 2 = 6**

"In that case, I'll Set one card face-down and end my turn." Jeanne concluded. "The only card you have on your field is The World Tree."

"Which means on our next turn, you're finished!" Reidrith added.

"Are you sure about that?" Rosetta coldly stated, causing both Charisma Duelists to flinch. "My turn! I draw!" She drew the top card of her deck and looked at it before looking back at them. "On this turn, you will know what real fear feels like."

"Real fear? What do you mean?" Reidrith inquired. "We have the advantage, not you!"

"I activate the Spell card, Card of Variation!" Rosetta said, ignoring Reidrith. "This card lets me draw two cards, but I must send one card from my hand to the Graveyard at the end of my turn. Otherwise, I take 3000 points of damage." She calmly drew the top two cards of her deck.

"Next, I activate The World Tree's effect! I can activate one of three effects by removing a specific number of counters. And I'll choose the third effect, which lets me remove three Flower counters to target a Plant monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! Come back, Lord Poison!" The World Tree glowed as Lord Poison reappeared on her field.

**The World Tree FC: 6 – 3 = 3 **

**Lord Poison ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"The best part of The World Tree is that, as long as there's counters," Rosetta added, "I can use any of its effects again! So I'll remove three more Flower counters to target and Special Summon Rose Fairy to my field! Return!" For a second time, The World Tree glowed, allowing Rose Fairy to reappear on her field for a second time.

**The World Tree FC: 3 – 3 = 0**

**Rose Fairy ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LV: 3 **

"I summon Witch of the Black Rose from my hand!" A small, female witch with green eyes and long, bushy purple hair twirled her small vined wand as she appeared on Rosetta's field. She wore a black dress with purple roses in the middle, along with high-heeled black boots with little purple roses on the boots.

**Witch of the Black Rose ATK: 1700 DEF: 1200 LV: 4**

"I then activate the Spell card, Non-Equivalent Exchange!" Rosetta continued. "This card lets me target up to two monsters in your Graveyard and Special Summon them to your field! Return, Crusadia Magius and Mekk-Knight Blue Sky!" Immediately, Magius and Blue Sky reappeared on Reidrith and Jeanne's field.

**Crusadia Magius ATK: 100 LINK-1** ⬇️

**Crusadia Magius ATK: 100 + 500 = 600**

**Mekk-Knight Blue Sky ATK: 2000 DEF: 2500 LV: 5**

"Why would you summon more monsters to our field?" Reidrith asked. Jeanne, after looking at the field through her Duel Disk, widened her eyes in realization. Spectrum Supreme was pointing to Magius! Which meant...

"She's figured out Spectrum Supreme's weakness." Jeanne said.

"Wait. What do you..." Reidrith was about to say, but when he looked at the field, he too widened his eyes. "Oh no."

"It's the beginning of the end for you two." Rosetta said, getting their attention. "As wielders of Cyberse monsters, you two should have known that this was coming." She pointed at them. "For using Cyberse cards, you two will be destroyed!"

"Destroyed? For using Cyberse cards?!" Jeanne exclaimed. "What do Cyberse cards have to do with this duel?"

"It's something you will never understand..." Rosetta muttered, quietly enough so that the two Charisma Duelists couldn't hear her. She then went back to the duel. "I tune the Level 4 Witch of the Black Rose with the Level 3 Rose Fairy!" A bolt of green lightning struck her as the world greyed out and her two monsters disappeared into particles. Two rings, one purple and one pink, appeared before turning blue and merging. Seven blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "7" as light surged through the rings.

"The cold flame engulfs the entire world!" Rosetta chanted. "Pitch-black flower, bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 7! Black Rose Dragon!" A massive, black-skinned dragon, whose entire body was covered in roses, spread out her wings and let out a shriveling roar as she was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Rosetta's field. She had a long, slender neck that was covered in roses at the back, and three mandibles that were made of roses on her head. She also had clawed draconic feet. In addition, the dragon had a long, thorned tail, along with thinner thorned tails. Black Rose Dragon's orange eyes glowed as she glared at the two Charisma Duelists.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

_Elsewhere, in LINK VRAINS..._

ROOOOOOOOAAAARRRRRR!

"What the hell was that?" Raguel said, having been taken by surprise along with Herald.

"Whatever that was, we need to hurry." Herald replied. "Because I don't think that's anything but good." As if on cue, one of the E.M.S. that Raguel and Herald sent out returned.

"You found the location?" Raguel asked the fly. E.M.S. nodded as it went back into Raguel's Duel Disk. Soon, it showed coordinates on the location of Crusadia Equimax and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme. "So that's where they are."

"And from the looks of things, their users, Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria, are currently using them in a duel." Herald observed. He turned to Raguel. "The coordinates are nearby. We might be able to make it."

"Send a message to Playmaker and Ai." Raguel said. "If it's the Hanoi, then he'll want a crack at them as well."

"Got it." As Herald went to send a message to Ai and Playmaker, Raguel sped up on his duel board, hoping that he could make it in time.

_Meanwhile, at Café Nagi..._

"Thanks for coming, Yusaku." Kusanagi said, as Yusaku entered the back of Café Nagi. After receiving a message from Herald, Kusanagi immediately called Yusaku, who said that he was already on his way, as Ai got it too.

"Is it the Hanoi?" Yusaku asked, sitting down at his chair.

"I'm not 100% sure, buddy." Kusanagi replied. "All that Herald said was that he and Raguel found Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria."

"The ones that have those Cyberse cards." Ai added, emerging from Yusaku's Duel Disk. "Honestly, it still surprises me that several Cyberse monsters escaped from Cyberse World prior to the attack on Cyberse World."

"Kusanagi, were you-?" But before Yusaku could finish his question, Kusanagi already pulled up an image on the monitor.

"Able to find their location? Yup." Kusanagi answered. "And based on what Herald's saying, their owners are in a duel with someone." He then frowned. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find out _who_ they were dueling, but I'm still working on it."

"I'll head to LINK VRAINS and find out." Yusaku said, standing up and picking up his Duel Disk before strapping it on.

"Hold on!" Ai snapped. "Are we just going to jump in without not knowing what were facing?"

"We are." Yusaku firmly stated. "If the Hanoi have decided to show up, then it's an opportunity to get answers." He then ran into the sealed room and took out his deck.

"Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!"

_At the duel in LINK VRAINS... _

"Black Rose Dragon's effect activates!" Rosetta said. "When it's Synchro Summoned, every card on the field is destroyed!"

"Every card?!" Reidrith repeated.

"That's right!" Rosetta confirmed. "And when a card effect that would destroy cards on the field is activated, I'm allowed to activate the Trap card, Doom Gazer! This card inflicts 300 points of damage for each card that would be destroyed and sent to the Graveyard!"

"Oh no!" Jeanne said. "We have seven cards on our field..."

"And I have four..." Rosetta finished. "That's eleven cards destroyed by Black Rose Dragon's effect! Go, Black Rose Gale!" Black Rose Dragon let out a roar as she flapped her wings in front of her, unleashing a tornado and destroying every card on the field. Both Reidrith and Jeanne had to raise their right arms to protect themselves from the wind.

The destruction of all the cards then went into Rosetta's converting frame, which glowed an eerie color. She then took out the converting frame and activated it, causing it to transform into a scythe that was colored rose red and had black trims. The blade was in the shape of a crescent.

"Scatter to OBLIVION!" Rosetta declared, as she quickly charged forward and slashed Reidrith with multiple strikes from her scythe, before suddenly appearing in front of Jeanne and doing the same thing to her. She then did a backward somersault before slashing both Charisma Duelists horizontally at the same time, knocking them to the ground.

**Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria: 1500 – 2100 = 0**

Rosetta then started laughing at her victory as she said, "Good riddance, Cyberse scum." She walked over to where Reidrith and Jeanne was and grabbed Crusadia Equimax and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme, smirking behind her mask.

"Hey, stop!"

Rosetta then looked up, and saw Raguel jump off his duel board and land a few feet away from her.

"I don't know what you plan to do with those Cyberse cards," Raguel said, pulling out his sword and pointing it at her, "but whatever it is, I'm not letting you leave with them! So get ready! Because it's time to duel!"

**Card Gallery**

_No new cards introduced in this chapter_

**QOTC**

_What were your thoughts on Rosetta's first duel? _

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 23: A Damaged Rose. Having identified Rosetta as the one who defeated the Charisma Duelists and stole their Cyberse cards, Raguel challenges her to a duel! However, as the duel progresses, he notices something about her. Meanwhile, Playmaker logs into LINK VRAINS to rendezvous with Raguel. Unfortunately, someone intercepts him..._

**Author's Notes**

Big thanks to HunterHQ for his help with this chapter.

Now this was an interesting chapter to write. I'll start off with the meeting between Watchman, Raguel, and Numera. Watchman assigns them the task of retrieving Crusadia Equimax and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme from Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria. He also tells them about World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy, which, in this story, is the core that powers the Cyberse World. Although Raguel is hesitant in retrieving the cards, Numera immediately accepts the assignment. What are your thoughts on Raguel's feelings regarding the assignment?

We also had a brief scene with the Hanoi finding the location of the two Cyberse cards. And remember the two OC's that briefly appeared last chapter? Well, they're officially introduced here. The woman in the lab coat is named Athaliah. Her appearance is based off of Jena Anderson from the video game Astral Chain, and her personality is based off of Lusamine from Pokémon Sun and Moon. As for when Athaliah will duel, you'll have to wait and see.

The other girl is an OC by HunterHQ named Tsubaki, also known in LINK VRAINS as Rosetta and by Ace as 'The Graceful Assassin'. As demonstrated in this chapter, she uses a Plant deck that focuses on Synchro Summoning and effect damage. If you were disappointed by her debut duel, fear not! The next chapter will have her duel again, only against Raguel. Her appearance is based off of Ruby Rose from the show RWBY, while her personality is based off of Kallen Kozuki from Code Geass. For those of you who are worried that Tsubaki is 'another Akiza Izinski', please do not worry. Her backstory will be elaborated later on during the Cyberse Hunt arc. That I promise.

Finally, we had Rosetta vs. Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria. This was the first duel in the story that had more than two people. Let me know what your thoughts are on the duel.

Thank you very much for reading Chapter 22 of Obscured Truth. As always, let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. In addition, constructive criticism is always welcome, as it helps make the story even better. If you know of anyone who would be interested in reading the story, don't hesitate in showing them. Before I go, I wanted to share some good news with you. When the last Profile was updated, I promised to tell you what will come next after Chapter 22. I want to let you all know that up next, immediately, will be Chapter 23. So stay tuned!

How do you think World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy will affect the story? Are you excited for the duel between Raguel and Rosetta? Who will Playmaker be dueling against next chapter?

I hope you're all safe out there, and I will see you next time!


	23. Chapter 23: A Damaged Rose

**Response to Reviews**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Guest, Portal, Noobmaster, E.T. 2000, ZeroMK7, Electriuser, Decode Talker, and Goomy for reviewing Chapter 22 of Obscured Truth.

Hi, everyone! Once again, I want to thank everyone for their positive and informative reviews. I also am happy to hear that everyone enjoyed Rosetta's debut duel in the previous chapter.

With nothing much else to say, I guess it's time to answer some reviews!

HunterHQ: Although World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy is the main power source of the Cyberse World, there are other power sources to keep it running (if I recall, there was one pillar for each attribute). I do hope you enjoy Rosetta's second duel, and as for the fates of Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria, you'll simply have to read on and find out for yourself.

Guest: In my opinion, they both failed in using Cyberse cards. But that doesn't mean there's room for improvement. And yes, Revolver sure is a hypocrite. After all, he did say that he's countering poison with poison.

Portal: I'm glad you liked the debut duel. I sure do hope you enjoy Rosetta's second duel.

Noobmaster: The reason why Rosetta hates Cyberse will be revealed, only it will be piece by piece. And yeah, it's a bit similar to when Akiza first hated the Signer Dragon marks.

E.T. 2000: Yes. The previous chapter was meant to introduce Rosetta and her deck, but this chapter will have her duel seriously from the start. And yes, there will be original Cyberse archetypes other than Cyreath. I have planned for two more to appear in Season 2. So stay tuned.

ZeroMK7: It's something like that, but like any duelist, she'll upgrade her deck as the story goes on.

Electriuser: I haven't decided if Playmaker and Raguel will be dueling in Season 2. I know for a fact they aren't dueling in Season 1 because they agreed to work together in exchange for Raguel ceasing his assignment for Ai. I can also see that you're confused regarding Raguel's rival, so allow me to clarify: Infearno is Raguel's main rival for Season 1, just like Revolver was for Playmaker. But when Season 2 came around, Playmaker's main rival ended up becoming Bohman. So therefore, the main rival for Raguel in Season 2 will change to someone else. And don't worry, the rivals always receive power-ups.

Decode Talker: I'm happy to see that you like this story.

Goomy: Glad you liked the chapter.

It's now time to begin the chapter. Enjoy!

**Chapter 23: A Damaged Rose**

_In the Hanoi Stronghold..._

"Playmaker just logged into LINK VRAINS, Master Revolver." Specter stated, looking at the monitor as it showed a notification.

"So he has." Revolver replied, putting a hand on his chin. "How interesting indeed."

"Will you go after him, sir?"

"As much as I want to, no Specter." Revolver answered, turning to face Specter. "We're already short staffed as it is."

"I do see your point." Specter agreed. "After all, Infearno is overseeing the construction of the Tower, and you already sent Lord Kazuma on that scouting mission, correct?" Revolver nodded.

"Then may I offer an alternative suggestion?" Revolver and Specter turned behind them, only to see Ace materialize into the Hanoi Stronghold.

"What do you have in mind?" Revolver asked, narrowing his eyes at him. Although he was willing to work with him, there was still a dangerous air around him. He therefore made a note to do some research on Ace once he had some time to himself.

"Playmaker doesn't know we're working together." Ace pointed out. "And Rosetta is still on her mission to collect the two Cyberse cards. I'll distract him, while she completes the assignment to the letter."

Revolver thought about what Ace said. As much as he wanted to confront and duel Playmaker himself, he had to admit. Ace made a good argument, and he did prove how strong he was during his duel against Specter. Also, the fact that Playmaker and Raguel didn't know about their alliance meant they could use this to their advantage.

Besides, in the event Ace decided to betray the Hanoi, Revolver could use the duel to identify the weaknesses in his deck and crush him.

"Very well." Revolver finally decided. "I'll let you go confront Playmaker."

"I'm glad you're on board with the idea." And Ace materialized out of the Hanoi Stronghold.

"Master Revolver, are you sure about this?" Specter asked, turning to face him.

"There are three reasons why I decided to go along with Ace's suggestion." Revolver said. "One: As a duelist, he has not only an exceptional deck, but unique dueling skills as well. I want to see how he does against Playmaker, and vice versa. Two: Where Playmaker goes, Raguel will follow. It's basically like moths to a flame. Once they're both in the network, we'll home in on them and capture their Ignis's. Three: I thought about what you said to me at the casino, Specter. And you're right. While he may appear to honour our agreement, he's practically a loose cannon. Which is why we must tread carefully around him."

"I see." Specter realized. "If this works, we might be able to kill three birds with one stone."

"Precisely." Revolver affirmed. "And worse case scenario, I get to learn more of Playmaker's strategies." He then made a fist with his right hand. "So that the next time we duel, it will be his last."

_In LINK VRAINS..._

"I just patched the coordinates to your Duel Disk, Yusaku." Kusanagi said, as Playmaker emerged from a portal and landed on his duel board, which he used to ride the data stream.

"Perfect." Playmaker replied, looking at them. "If we hurry, we'll be able to catch up with Raguel."

"Yeah!" Ai agreed, emerging from Playmaker's Duel Disk. "Because whoever Raguel and Herald are up against, they might be having some trouble."

"But I'm afraid you won't have the time to do that, my friend."

Playmaker looked behind upon hearing the voice, only to see Ace zoom right past him on his duel board. Ace then swerved his duel board so he could face Playmaker and ride backwards at the same time.

"Whoever you are, get out of the way!" Playmaker demanded. "I don't have time to deal with you."

"Then you'll have to make time." Ace firmly stated. "My name is Ace, and I've been sent to dispose of you."

"Dispose of me?" Playmaker repeated. "And who exactly sent you to do that?"

"Playmaker?"

Playmaker looked up and saw Numera on her duel board, who was listening in on their conversation.

"What are you doing here?"

"You're here too, Numera?" Playmaker asked.

"Hey!" Ai said, pointing at Numera. "It's that Cyberse user from before! You have a lot of explaining to do, like how you know about the Ignis. And how you got those Cyberse cards!"

"What's this?" Ace interrupted, paying attention to what Ai said. "The little girl has Cyberse cards too?" His smile then turned into a smirk. "Excellent! The Hanoi will be happy to hear this."

"You work for the Hanoi?" Playmaker demanded, turning back to Ace. "Why would you work for them? Are you not aware of who and what they are?"

"I'm already aware of them, thank you very much." Ace replied. "If you want answers, then you'll have to beat me in a duel."

Playmaker gritted his teeth. He didn't want to duel this guy right now. But after learning that he was with the Hanoi, he could have information. Information that he might spill if he loses. "Can you get me as much data as you can on this guy, Kusanagi?" he asked over the com.

"Don't worry. I'm on it." Kusanagi answered, as he typed furiously in Café Nagi. "You'll have all his info within a few minutes."

"Alright." Playmaker then looked up at Ace and narrowed his eyes. "I'll have you know: Dueling you just became imperative. As once I beat you, you're going to tell me what exactly the Hanoi's endgame is!"

"You better watch out, because Playmaker's kicking your ass!" Ai taunted.

"We shall see, my little friend." Ace responded. "We shall see."

"Speed Duel!" Playmaker and Ace shouted at the same time.

**Playmaker: 4000 LP**

**Ace: 4000 LP**

"I'll make the first move." Ace said, looking at his hand. "I activate the Field Spell card, Evil Eye Domain – Pareidolia! Upon activation, this card lets me add one 'Evil Eye' monster from my deck to my hand!" A card popped out of Ace's deck, letting him add Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye to his hand.

"I summon Catopleas, Familiar of the Evil Eye from my hand!" A buffalo with grey and purple skin wearing cyan armor appeared on Ace's field. On its forehead was a red eyeball.

**Catopleas, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 600 DEF: 1900 LV: 3**

"Next, I activate the effect of Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye! As I control an 'Evil Eye' monster, I'm allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand to my field!" A blue and black serpent with a big red eye on its head also appeared on Ace's field and hissed at Playmaker.

**Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 400 DEF: 2000 LV: 3**

"Basilius's effect!" Ace continued. "Once per turn, I'm allowed to send an 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my Graveyard. I think I'll send Evil Eye Reemergence to my Graveyard." A second card popped out of Ace's deck, which he sent to the Graveyard.

"Appear! The circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" A Link Portal soon appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are exactly two 'Evil Eye' monsters! I'll set Catopleas, Familiar of the Evil Eye, and Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye into the Link Markers!" Catopleas went into the bottom arrowhead, while Basilius went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye!" A velociraptor with a slender neck and dark-purple skin appeared on Ace's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. All over the velociraptor's body were little eyeballs. Quarrion raised its head and screeched at Playmaker.

**Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 2100 LINK-2** ➡️⬇️

"Quarrion's effect activates!" Ace added. "When it's Link Summoned, I can add an 'Evil Eye' card from my deck to my hand!" Using Quarrion's effect, Ace added Evil Eye of Selene from his deck to his hand.

"I activate the Equip Spell card, Evil Eye of Selene, and equip it onto Quarrion." A red and silver mechanical device appeared and attached itself on Quarrion's left eye. "I'll just let the both of you know that as long as Quarrion is equipped with Evil Eye of Selene, it can no longer be destroyed by battle or card effects. Nor can you target it with your card effects!"

"So the only way to destroy that creepy, crawly thing is through battle?!" Ai exclaimed.

"I'm afraid so, Ai." Playmaker confirmed, narrowing his eyes.

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Ace concluded. "Let's see what the legendary Playmaker can do!"

"My turn! I draw!" Playmaker said, drawing the top card of his deck.

"Did we get something good?" Ai asked, trying to look at Playmaker's hand.

"By sending a Level 2 or lower monster from my hand to the Graveyard," Playmaker explained, "I'm allowed to Special Summon Bitrooper from my hand! Come on out, Bitrooper!" As Playmaker discarded a card, a white and yellow armored mechanical warrior appeared on Playmaker's field in attack position.

**Bitrooper ATK: 1500 DEF: 2000 LV: 4**

"Next, I summon ROM Cloudia from my hand!" A ram with black fur and pink horns also appeared on Playmaker's field.

**ROM Cloudia ATK: 1800 DEF: 0 LV: 4**

"As it was Normal Summoned," Playmaker continued, "I can add one Cyberse monster from my Graveyard to my hand." After taking the only card from his Graveyard, he said, "Latency's effect activates! Since it was added from my Graveyard to my hand, I can Special Summon it to my field!" An armored machine woman in a pink dress holding an hourglass joined its Cyberse comrades on Playmaker's field.

**Latency ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"And now I shall create my ultimate circuit!" A Link Portal appeared ahead of Playmaker. "The summoning conditions are two or more Cyberse monsters! I'll set Bitrooper, Latency, and ROM Cloudia into the Link Markers!" Bitrooper went into the top arrowhead, Latency went into the bottom arrowhead, and ROM Cloudia went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 3! Encode Talker!" A warrior in bright blue and gold armor was summoned to Playmaker's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. In his right hand, he carried a shield.

**Encode Talker ATK: 2300 LINK-3** ⬆️⬇️↘️

"Since the Special Summoned Latency was used as to Link Summon, I get to draw one card!" Playmaker drew, then said, "If I control a Cyberse monster, I can Special Summon Backup Secretary from my hand!" A woman with white clothes and a purple cape was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Encode Talker was pointing to.

**Backup Secretary ATK: 1200 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

"I Set two cards face-down." Playmaker then thrusted out his right hand. "Battle! Backup Secretary attacks Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye!" Backup Secretary charged forward at Quarrion.

"I activate the effect of Encode Talker!" Playmaker said. "When a monster it points to battles a monster you control with higher attack points, my monster cannot be destroyed by battle, and I take no battle damage!" Backup Secretary punched Quarrion, who responded by swiping her with its tail. "Then, either Encode Talker or a monster it points to gains attack points equal to your monster's attack points until the End Phase. I therefore increase Encode Talker's attack points!" A bright blue aura surrounded Encode Talker as he powered up.

**Encode Talker ATK: 2300 + 2100 = 4400**

"Interesting." Ace muttered. "Your weaker monster attacked first on purpose to increase the attack points of your stronger monster." _He may think he's got the advantage, _he thought_, but little does he know he's walking into a trap_.

"The battle still continues!" Playmaker said. "Encode Talker attacks Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye! Final Encode!"

"Even though your monster can't be destroyed by battle, you're still taking battle damage!" Ai added, causing Playmaker to roll his eyes.

Encode Talker charged at Quarrion, a sword emerging from his shield. He then proceeded to slash Quarrion, creating a massive cloud of smoke.

**Ace: 4000 – 2300 = 1700 LP**

"Do you really think it would be that easy?" Ace asked, emerging from the smoke alongside with Quarrion. "I activate the _second_ effect of Evil Eye Domain – Pareidolia! Once per turn, during damage calculation, if an 'Evil Eye' monster I control is attacked while Evil Eye of Selene is in my Spell & Trap card zone, any battle damage I take from that battle is also inflicted to you!"

"So we're getting blasted with damage too?" Ai said, widening his eyes in surprise. Playmaker gritted his teeth. He didn't expect this either.

"That's correct!" Ace confirmed, as Evil Eye Domain – Pareidolia appeared and fired a blast of energy at Playmaker, causing him to temporarily stagger before regaining his balance.

**Playmaker: 4000 – 2300 = 1700 LP**

"Furthermore," Ace continued, "I activate my Skill, Life Rejuvenation! When I've taken at least 1500 or more points of damage, I can pay 500 additional life points to gain life points equal to the number of monsters on the field times 500!" For a brief moment, Ace clutched his heart and kneeled on his duel board, as though he were in pain.

**Ace: 1700 – 500 = 1200 LP**

Then a dark purple aura surrounded him, causing him to stand up.

**Ace: 1200 + (500 X 3) = 2700 LP**

"Oh come on!" Ai groaned. "Now he's in the lead!"

"Evil Eye of Selene's effect activates!" Ace said. "Whenever the equipped monster activates its effect, or I activate the effect of another 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card, it gains 500 attack points and I lose 500 life points." As Quarrion powered up, Ace clutched his heart as though he were in pain. But what was disturbing was that he _enjoyed_ it.

**Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 2100 + 500 = 2600**

**Ace: 2700 – 500 = 2200 LP**

"Okay, that's not good for us." Ai said. "But at least we found a weakness, right?"

"His strategy must revolve around Evil Eye of Selene, Ai." Playmaker observed. "Every time the equipped monster activates its effect, or the effect of an 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card is activated, it increases the equipped monsters attack points at the cost of the owner's life points."

"So, in other words, if we play our cards just right, we can win!"

Ignoring Ai, Playmaker stated, "I end my turn. And since my turn is over, Encode Talker's attack points go back to normal."

**Encode Talker ATK: 4400 – 2100 = 2300**

Numera, who was watching the duel, narrowed her eyes in worry. "You're watching this too, right Greg?"

"I am, honey." Greg confirmed over the com. "Although I am curious as to why Playmaker showed up."

"You and me both." Numera replied. "It's almost as if..." It then dawned on her. If Playmaker was in LINK VRAINS, then it meant that Raguel was in trouble. And he didn't inform her at all! "Greg, I gotta go!" She then sped up on her duel board to get away from the duel between Ace and Playmaker

"And where do you think you're going, little girl?" Ace asked, turning around and firing a blast of energy from his finger at the air in front of Numera, preventing her from moving forward.

"What did you do?" Numera demanded, as she circled back to where Ace and Playmaker were.

"Leave her out of this!" Playmaker interjected. "You're facing me, remember?!"

"The Hanoi requires Cyberse cards for their newest project." Ace explained. "I can't let that opportunity get away. So I therefore used an anchor program to prevent you from leaving for now."

Numera gritted her teeth upon hearing that. "Greg, can you decipher this guy's anchor program and release me from it?" she asked over the com.

"I'll try." Greg responded, typing on his laptop. "Just stay safe in the meanwhile."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Numera then slowed her duel board down so she could watch the duel at a safe distance. _Raguel, _she thought, _once I get out of this situation, I'm not letting you hear the end of it!_

_Meanwhile, in another area of LINK VRAINS..._

"Duel me?" Rosetta repeated. "You know who I am, correct?" She pointed her scythe at the unconscious Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria. "And even if you did, why would you risk your life for these two worthless duelists?"

"It's because taking their cards like that was just wrong!" Raguel answered, still pointing his sword at her. "What you did, it's like you killed a part of them!"

"I honestly don't care." Rosetta coldly rebutted. "They're meaningless compared to my goal."

"Your goal?" Raguel repeated, raising an eyebrow. What goal did Rosetta have? And how were Cyberse cards thrown into the mix?

"Their lives were judged the moment they started using Cyberse cards." Rosetta stated, now pointing her scythe at Raguel. "You're Raguel, correct? The rumored Cyberse user on the black market?" She smirked behind her mask. "I'm willing to bet the Cyberse cards I've obtained in a duel if you do the same with yours. Winner takes all."

Raguel gritted his teeth. He had hoped to reason with her, and the last thing he wanted was a duel. But if a duel was the only way to get them back...

"Fine." Raguel said, putting his sword away on his back and activating his Duel Disk. "I accept your challenge! But before we begin, I'd like to know who I'm dueling."

"You can call me Rosetta." Rosetta replied, turning her scythe back into the converting frame and putting it away before activating her Duel Disk. "And I'll have you know that any hopes you had of winning will be scattered to the wind!"

"Duel!" Rosetta and Raguel said at the same time.

**Rosetta: 4000 LP**

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

"I'll go first!" Raguel said, looking at his hand. "I summon Cyreath Valkyrie from my hand!" A female warrior with dark red hair, dressed in a long leather loincloth with matching leather brassiere and knee-high boots, appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Valkyrie ATK: 1600 DEF: 1300 LVL: 4**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are one 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Valkyrie into the Link Marker!" Valkyrie went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1 **⬇️

"Scorpius' effect!" Raguel continued. "Once per turn, if I control no monsters in the Main Monster Zone, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Valkyrie!"

Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Valkyrie grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.

**Cyreath Valkyrie ATK: 1600 DEF: 1300 LVL: 4**

"And since I control a 'Cyreath' monster," Raguel added, "I can Special Summon Cyreath Doppelganger from my hand!" A pale, shadowy man materialized itself on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Doppelganger ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"I activate the Spell card, Elixir of the Gods! By tributing a 'Cyreath' monster I control, I get to draw two cards! However, I can't attack the turn I use this effect. But since I can't attack anyway, it's not a huge loss. I tribute Valkyrie!" Valkyrie turned into yellow particles as Raguel drew the top two cards of his deck.

"Good call, Raguel." Herald said, emerging from Raguel's Duel Disk. "You took advantage of the fact that you can't attack on your first turn to get two more cards from your deck."

"I did it because I got a bad feeling about this duel, Herald." Raguel responded. "Which means we'll need all the help we can get." He then gestured to his field. "Appear, for the second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A second Link Portal appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Scorpius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Doppelganger into the Link Markers!" Doppelganger went into the bottom-left arrowhead, while Scorpius went into the bottom-left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Machai!" A warrior with two torsos back to back with each other and covered in coal black skin was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone. It had two legs, six arms, and two heads.

**Cyreath Machai ATK: 1600 LINK-2 **↙️↘️

"I activate the second effect of Doppelganger from my Graveyard!" Raguel said. "Once per duel, by banishing one 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard, I get to Special Summon this card to my field in attack position. I banish Valkyrie to activate its effect and summon it back!" Doppelganger, for a second time, materialized itself onto Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Doppelganger ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"Appear, for the third time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A second Link Portal appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Machai, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Doppelganger into the Link Markers!" Doppelganger went into the bottom arrowhead, while Machai split into two and entered the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods leads the charge to victory! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal and landed on the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **↖️⬇️↗️

"Machai's effect!" Raguel added. "Since Hercules used it as a Link Material, it cannot be destroyed by battle!" He then took two cards from his hand and Set them in his Spell & Trap card zone. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn. You're up."

"My turn! I draw!" Rosetta declared, drawing the top card of her deck. "I summon Twilight Rose Knight from my hand!" A female knight with short blue hair and yellow eyes, a long white cape, and wearing dark, rosy armor on the upper portion of her body appeared on Rosetta's field. On her head was a large, dark rosy tiara. In her left hand, she carried a sword.

**Twilight Rose Knight ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"Twilight Rose Knight's effect! When she's Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Plant monster from my hand! Come, Lord Poison!" A fiendish, muddy creature with spikes all over its body, as well as claws, floated onto Rosetta's field.

**Lord Poison ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"I now tune the Level 3 Twilight Rose Knight with the Level 4 Lord Poison!" Rosetta declared, as a bolt of green lightning struck her. Soon, the world greyed out, and her two monsters disappeared into particles. Two rings, one black and one brown, appeared before turning blue and merging. Seven blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "7" as light surged through the rings.

"The cold flame engulfs the entire world!" Rosetta chanted. "Pitch-black flower, bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 7! Black Rose Dragon!" A massive, black-skinned dragon, whose entire body was covered in roses, spread out her wings and let out a shriveling roar as she was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Rosetta's field. She had a long, slender neck that was covered in roses at the back, and three mandibles that were made of roses on her head. She also had clawed draconic feet. In addition, the dragon had a long, thorned tail, along with thinner thorned tails. Black Rose Dragon's orange eyes glowed as she glared at Raguel.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"That must be her ace monster!" Raguel realized.

"I activate Black Rose Dragon's effect!" Rosetta said. "When she's Synchro Summoned, every card on your field is destroyed! Go, Black Rose Gale!" Black Rose Dragon let out a roar as she flapped her wings in front of her, unleashing a tornado at Hercules and Raguel's two face-down cards. However...

"I don't think so!" Raguel said. "Quick-Play Spell, activate! Cyreath Salvation! If a 'Cyreath' monster I control would be destroyed by a card effect, it's not destroyed!" A barrier formed around Hercules, protecting him as Black Rose Dragon and all of Raguel's other cards were immediately destroyed.

"That was a close one." Herald said, wiping the sweat off his forehead using his right arm. "If this 'Rosetta' plans to summon a monster to two of the Main Monster Zones Hercules points to, we'll have the advantage."

"And her ace monster destroyed itself too." Raguel added. "We can still win this duel."

"Really? You two have hope?" Rosetta asked, chuckling behind the mask. "I told you before that I would scatter any hopes you had of winning, and I'll do so right now!" She then activated a card in her Spell & Trap card zone. "I activate the Spell card, Monster Reborn! This card lets me Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard. Return, Black Rose Dragon!" On Rosetta's command, Black Rose Dragon reappeared on her field and roared at Raguel.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"I activate the Equip Spell card, Thorn of Malice, and equip it onto Black Rose Dragon!" The thorned tails that Black Rose Dragon had suddenly became sharper, and glowed with a purple aura. "This card increases the attack points of either Black Rose Dragon or a Plant monster by 600." Black Rose Dragon roared as she powered up.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 + 600 = 3000**

"And now that dragon's more powerful than Hercules!" Herald realized. Raguel gritted his teeth. If Cyreath Rebound was still on his field, he could negate the upcoming attack and inflict damage right back at her. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the case this time.

"Battle!" Rosetta declared, pointing at Hercules. "Black Rose Dragon attacks Cyreath Hercules! Black Rose Flare!" Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it at Hercules, pushing him back and injuring the warrior. Surprisingly, though, he was still on the field, even though Raguel's life points dropped.

**Raguel: 4000 – 500 = 3500 LP**

"Any monster that battles with the equipped monster can't be destroyed by battle." Rosetta explained before Raguel could ask. "But in exchange, the attacked monster loses 600 attack and defense points after damage calculation."

"Oh no!" Raguel said, shocked at the second effect of Thorn of Malice.

"Go, Hate Rose Whip!" The thinner thorned tails that Black Rose Dragon had suddenly launched themselves towards Hercules and stabbed him in different parts of his body, causing excruciating pain.

**Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 – 600 = 1900**

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Rosetta concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel declared, drawing the top card of his deck. "I summon Cyreath Barbarian from my hand." A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared in the sky above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I'll set Cyreath Hercules, which is a Link 3 monster, and Cyreath Barbarian into the Link Markers!" Barbarian went into the top arrowhead, while Hercules split into three tornadoes of energy that went into the left, right, and bottom arrowheads.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The Embodiment of Truth is given to mankind! Link 4! Turboblaze Dragon!" A white-color bipedal dragon with blue irises and black pupils, as well as a long and slender neck emerged from the Link Portal to the right Extra Monster Zone as he roared upon appearing on Raguel's field. He had a long, voluminous wispy mane streaming out from the upper side of his snout and outwards from his head, with two protrusions resembling ears on the top of the mane. His arms were slender and arm-like with a wing-like appearance and four fingers on his claws. He had a feathered chest, with long feather-like protrusions jutting out of his thighs. On his feet were large grey claws, three at the front and one positioned at the back to resemble high heels. He also had a jet engine-like tail, with two large bands similar to the front and ribbon like extensions.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 LINK-4 **⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️

"I activate Turboblaze Dragon's first effect!" Raguel continued. "When it's Link Summoned, the effects of all monsters you control are negated! Heat Veil!" The jet engine-like tail that Turboblaze had soon began to charge up.

"Feel the fury of my flames!" Turboblaze shouted before unleashing waves of volcanic energy at Black Rose, covering her in scorch marks.

"My Black Rose Dragon!" Rosetta exclaimed in anger upon seeing her monster being wounded.

"I activate Barbarian's effect from my Graveyard." Raguel said, ignoring Rosetta. "Since it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster that used this card as a Link Material gains 500 attack points!"

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 + 500 = 3500**

"Battle! Turboblaze Dragon attacks Black Rose Dragon! Desolation Flare!" The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze flew up into the air and charged up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at Black Rose, but...

"Continuous-Trap, activate! Safe Zone!" Rosetta interjected. "I target one monster on my field, and as long as this card remains, the targeted monster cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, nor can it be targeted by card effects. I target Black Rose Dragon!" A blue veil surrounded Black Rose Dragon, protecting her from the orb of orange fire.

"But you still take battle damage." Raguel reminded Rosetta, as bits of ember bounced off the blue veil and hit her, causing her to lose life points.

**Rosetta: 4000 – 500 = 3500 LP**

"If it weren't for that Trap card, we would have been close to wrapping up this duel." Herald said, crossing his arms. "She must really not want that dragon to be destroyed."

"Yeah." Raguel agreed with Herald. "But regardless, we can't drop our guard." He then took the remaining two cards in his hand and Set them face-down in his Spell & Trap card zone. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." He then turned to Rosetta as he asked, "Why are you doing this? The Charisma Duelists you defeated didn't deserve to be hurt, yet you went after them all because they had their Cyberse cards. Do you have something against them?"

"I'm doing this because Cyberse cards are responsible for my pain!" Rosetta furiously answered. "They appeared during a time when my family was going through a great loss." She tried to recompose herself, but found that she couldn't. "But instead of helping each other get through it, one by one, they were forced to move on and leave me. All because their jobs, in someway, had something to do with Cyberse cards. And by the time the person I needed the most left me, I realized the harsh truth. In times of pain, people only care about themselves. That's why I'll destroy every Cyberse card in existence. To show them the pain I suffered for tearing my family apart from the inside out!"

"You know what I hear?" Raguel said, getting her attention. "I hear a sad person who's willing to hurt others just to try and feel better. Tell me: Is what I said true?" Rosetta was slightly taken aback by Raguel's question.

"What are you talking about? I'm doing this for revenge."

"And do you honestly believe that?" Raguel stated, causing her eyes to widen behind the mask. However, Rosetta shook her head, trying to clear her doubts.

"I don't know why you're doing this," Rosetta said, "but your mind games won't work on me. My turn! I draw!" She drew the top card of her deck. "I activate the Spell card, Pot of Greed! This card lets me draw two cards from my deck." She proceeded to draw the top two cards of her deck. "Next, I activate my Field Spell card, Black Garden!" Soon, the entire duel field was engulfed in thorns and roses. A statue of a faun soon emerged from the ground to the center of the duel field. "Now if either of us Normal or Special Summons a monster, except by Black Garden's effect, its attack points are halved, and a Rose token is Special Summoned to the controller's opponent's side of the field in attack position."

"Well, that's not good." Herald commented. "If we summon anymore monsters, they'll be half as strong as they once were."

"And she'll get a Rose token." Raguel added. But he knew that the reverse was true for her. If she summoned anymore monsters, their strength will be halved, and Raguel will get a Rose token, which he can then use for Link Summoning. _She must be preparing something big regarding Black Garden, _Raguel theorized. _And in the meanwhile, she'll take any chance to weaken my strategies_.

"I now activate my Trap card, Blooming of the Darkest Rose!" Rosetta said. "This card Special Summons Rose tokens to both our fields in defense position equal to the number of Field Spell cards in the Field Zone and in the Graveyards. As Black Garden is in my Field Zone, each of us gets one Rose token!" A massive rose with a thorned stem and two thin branches containing leaves appeared on both duelists' fields in defense position.

**Rose Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LV: 2**

**Rose Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LV: 2**

"Black Garden's effect! As a monster was Special Summoned to each of our fields, both their attack points are halved, and we each get an additional Rose token." Thorns erupted from the ground and wrapped themselves around the Rose tokens on the field.

**Rose Token ATK: 800 / 2 = 400**

**Rose Token ATK: 800 / 2 = 400**

Soon after, a second Rose token appeared on both duelists fields. Only this time, they were in attack position.

**Rose Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LV: 2**

**Rose Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LV: 2**

"Next, I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Frozen Rose! I can send one monster from my field to the Graveyard, and depending on the monster sent, I can activate one of two effects at the End Phase. I'll send the Rose token that's in attack position to my Graveyard!" At her command, one of the Rose tokens exploded into yellow particles.

"Battle!" Rosetta declared. "Black Rose Dragon attacks one of your Rose tokens!" As Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw, she quickly added, "I activate Thorn of Malice's additional effect. If the equipped monster battles a defense position monster, you take piercing battle damage!"

"That's not good!" Raguel said.

"It definitely isn't." Rosetta agreed with him. "Black Rose Flare!" Black Rose Dragon fired a beam of energy at the Rose token, intent on making it suffer. However...

"I activate the Trap card, Cyreath Endurance!" Raguel interjected. The card showed Cyreath Grand Warden protecting Cyreath Pixie, Rippler, and Crafter from Tyrant Dragon's attack by using his scepter to form a barrier around them. "By banishing a 'Cyreath' Link Monster from my Graveyard, any battle damage I would have taken is reduced by 500 times its Link Rating. I banish Cyreath Machai from my Graveyard, and reduce battle damage by 1000!" A translucent barrier appeared around the Rose token, briefly pushing back against the beam of energy. Unfortunately, smaller beams of energy bounced off the barrier and hit Raguel in different parts of his body, causing tears in his clothing. As a result, he had to stagger back.

**Raguel: 3500 – (2200 – 1000) = 2300 LP**

"Are you okay, Raguel?" Herald asked, concerned for his friend.

"Yeah. I'm fine, Herald." Raguel replied.

"Your Rose token cannot be destroyed by battle when battling a monster that's equipped with Thorn of Malice." Rosetta reminded the two of them. "However, after damage calculation, it immediately loses 600 attack and defense points! Hate Rose Whip!" Soon, the thinner thorned tails launched themselves towards the Rose token and stabbed it in different places, causing excruciating pain.

**Rose Token ATK: 400 – 600 = 0 DEF: 800 – 600 = 200 **

"I end my turn here." Rosetta concluded. "And that means Frozen Rose's effect activates. Because I sent a Plant monster from my field to the Graveyard, I get to draw two cards before discarding one from my hand." She then drew two cards from her deck, looked them over, and sent one of them to the Graveyard.

"You know, Herald." Raguel said. "I think I figured something out."

"You did?" Herald asked. "If it's a way to get through this duel, I'm all ears."

"No." Raguel answered. "It's something else. In that last attack, I sensed something."

"Oh? What exactly did you sense?"

"Although there was pain and anger in that attack, there was something else too." Raguel narrowed his eyes. The Lost Incident may have traumatized him, but he had people in his life who were there for him. Which made him a survivor. _And now it's my turn to be there for Rosetta,_ Raguel thought. _I'll win this duel to not only stop her, but to help her as well_.

_Elsewhere, at Playmaker's duel..._

"My turn! I draw!" Ace said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I summon Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye!" A purple-haired girl wearing black and green clothing appeared on Ace's field. Her left eye was red, while her right eye was milky-pearl.

**Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye ATK: 1400 DEF: 1600 LV: 4**

"Medusa's effect! When it's Normal Summoned, I get to add an 'Evil Eye' card from my Graveyard to my hand. I return Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye to my hand." A card briefly came out of the Graveyard before being added to Ace's hand. "Basilius's effect! As I control an 'Evil Eye' monster, I'm allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand to my field!" The blue and black serpent with a big red eye on its head from before reappeared on Ace's field.

**Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 400 DEF: 2000 LV: 3**

"I use Basilius's second effect!" Ace added. "Once per turn, I'm allowed to send an 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my Graveyard. This time, I'll send Evil Eye of Gorgoneio to my Graveyard." A card popped out of Ace's deck, which he immediately sent to his Graveyard.

"Next, I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Evil Eye Repose! By banishing an 'Evil Eye' card from my Graveyard, I get to draw one card. I'll therefore banish Catopleas, Familiar of the Evil Eye." He then drew the top card of his deck, and after looking at it, he smirked.

"Evil Eye of Selene's effect! Since the equipped monster, in this case, Quarrion, activated its effect, it gains 500 attack points and I lose 500 life points." Quarrion began to power up, but...

"I activate my Trap card, Cyberse Shatter!" Playmaker said. "When a card or effect is activated that would change the attack points of exactly one monster on your field while I control a Cyberse monster on my field, I can negate the activation and draw one card."

"Counter-Trap, activate!" Ace said in retaliation. "Evil Eye Retribution! If you activate a Spell or Trap card while I control an 'Evil Eye' monster, I can negate the activation and then destroy it. However, if 'Evil Eye of Selene' is in my Spell & Trap card zone, this card's activation and effect cannot be negated!"

"What?"

"Say goodbye to your Trap card." Evil Eye Retribution fired a blast of energy at Cyberse Shatter, destroying it. Ace then turned to Quarrion. "And since I activated another 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card, Evil Eye of Selene will give Quarrion more power!" As Quarrion powered up for real, Ace clutched his heart for a second time.

**Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 2600 + 500 + 500 = 3600**

**Ace: 2200 – 500 - 500 = 1200 LP**

_Just like that, he countered Playmaker's attempt to stop him_, Numera thought, as she saw how Ace responded to Cyberse Shatter. She narrowed her eyes at the duel. _If Playmaker's going to defeat this guy, he'll have to do a bit better than that_. "Any luck on that anchor program yet?"

"Not yet, honey." Greg answered through the com. "Although I am making progress."

"Well, thanks anyway." Numera sighed. This was going to take a while.

"Appear, the circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" Ace declared, as a Link Portal soon appeared ahead of Ace. "The summoning conditions are two monsters, one of which must be an 'Evil Eye' monster! I'll set Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye, and Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye into the Link Markers!" Medusa went into the top arrowhead, while Basilius went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed!" A white-haired woman wearing a black and purple dress covered by white and red armor emerged from the Link Portal and landed on Ace's field in the Main Monster Zone Quarrion was pointing to. Covering her left eye was a white mechanical device with a red lens.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 1900 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"Gorgon gains 100 additional attack points for each 'Evil Eye' card in my Graveyard with a different name." Ace explained. "Since there's five 'Evil Eye' cards with different names, she gains 500 attack points." A red aura enveloped Gorgon as she powered up.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 1900 + 500 = 2400**

"I activate Quarrion's effect! Once per turn, I can target one monster you control and one 'Evil Eye' monster in my Graveyard. By doing so, your monster loses attack points equal to the 'Evil Eye' monsters attack points in my Graveyard." Playmaker widened his eyes in surprise.

"Your monster can do that?" Ai said, who was clearly surprised just like Playmaker.

"Indeed it can." Ace answered. He then pointed at Encode Talker. "I target your Encode Talker on the field and my Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye in my Graveyard. Which means it loses 1400 attack points!" Quarrion fired a toxic burst of energy from its mouth at Encode Talker, poisoning him and draining his strength.

**Encode Talker ATK: 2300 – 1400 = 900**

"Evil Eye of Selene's effect!" Quarrion roared as it powered up, while Ace clutched his heart a third time while laughing in pain.

**Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 3600 + 500 = 4100**

**Ace: 1200 – 500 = 700 LP**

"I Set one card face-down." Ace said. "Battle! Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye attacks Encode Talker!" Quarrion charged forward at Encode Talker, intent on finishing off its prey.

"Uh, Playmaker? We're gonna lose!" Ai panicked.

"We won't, Ai." Playmaker assured Ai. "I activate the Trap card, Half or Nothing! When this card is activated, you get to choose one of two effects. You either end the Battle Phase immediately, or the attack points of all monsters you control become halved until the end of your Battle Phase."

"And since this Trap card doesn't specifically target your monster," Ai added, "that means we can get around your Evil Eye of Selene, bub!"

"Tch." Ace said, gritting his teeth. "I didn't expect you to play that card." He then smirked. "But it won't stop me from attacking. I'll choose the second effect, which cuts the attack points of my monsters in half for the duration of this Battle Phase." Half or Nothing then glowed an eerie color, halting Quarrion in its tracks and halving both it and Gorgon's attack points.

**Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 4100 / 2 = 2050**

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2400 / 2 = 1200**

"The battle still resumes. Quarrion, resume your attack on Encode Talker!" Quarrion, shaking off what just happened to it, leapt onto Encode Talker and bit his neck, destroying the warrior and turning him into yellow particles.

**Playmaker: 1700 – 1150 = 550 LP**

"Evil Eye Repose's second effect now activates!" Ace continued. "Once per turn, after damage calculation, if an 'Evil Eye' monster equipped with Evil Eye of Selene attacked a monster on your field, I can banish it!" Evil Eye Repose glowed purple, causing Playmaker's Duel Disk to glow as well.

"Our Encode Talker is gone!" Ai lamented, as Playmaker checked his Graveyard. Sure enough, Encode Talker was no longer there.

"And just before I end my turn, the effect of Evil Eye of Selene activates once more!" Ace reminded Playmaker and Ai. "You know what that means." For a fourth time, Quarrion powered up, and Ace clutched his heart in pain.

**Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 2050 + 500 = 2550 **

**Ace: 700 – 500 = 200 LP**

"My turn is over now. Which means both Quarrion and Gorgon's attack points return to normal."

**Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 2550 X 2 = 5100**

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 1200 X 2 = 2400**

"My turn! I draw!" Playmaker said, drawing the top card of his deck.

"Continuous-Trap card, activate!" Ace unexpectedly said. "Cycle of the Evil Eye!" The card showed Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye torturing Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye before healing her again and repeating the cycle. "By tributing an 'Evil Eye' monster equipped with Evil Eye of Selene, we both gain 1000 life points. I therefore destroy Quarrion."

"Huh?" Ai said, raising an eyebrow as Quarrion and Evil Eye of Selene exploded into yellow particles. "Why would you do that?"

"It's because he doesn't want us to use our Skill." Playmaker answered, as his and Ace's life points went up.

**Ace: 200 + 1000 = 1200 LP**

**Playmaker: 550 + 1000 = 1550 LP**

"Precisely!" Ace confirmed. "Your main ace in the hole is Storm Access. Which is why I can't let you activate it." Suddenly, Ace remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot! At the end of your turn, if I control an 'Evil Eye' monster, you take 300 points of damage. But at any point during either player's turn, if I no longer control an 'Evil Eye' monster, I must destroy this card."

"Then it's a good thing I have a way to counter your move." Playmaker responded. "I activate the Spell card, Cache Upload!" The card showed a hacker trying to create Decode Talker as a real card in the real world. "This card lets me target one Link Monster you control, and then draw cards equal to its Link Rating. I target your Gorgon!" Cache Upload released a green scanning wave, which scanned Gorgon from top to bottom.

"Since Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed is a Link 2 monster, I get to draw two cards from my deck." Playmaker then drew two cards from his deck.

"I summon Debris Sweeper from my hand." A small, brown mine with a cybernetic pink eye and two wired claws appeared on Playmaker's field.

**Debris Sweeper ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1**

"I shall now create my ultimate circuit!" A Link Portal soon appeared ahead of Playmaker. "The summoning conditions are two monsters! I'll set Debris Sweeper and Backup Secretary into the Link Markers!" Debris Sweeper went into the bottom arrowhead, while Backup Secretary went into the top arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Security Dragon!" A small white and red mechanical dragon appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on Playmaker's field.

**Security Dragon ATK: 1100 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"I activate Debris Sweeper's effect!" Playmaker continued. "When it's used to Link Summon, I can destroy one card on the field and inflict 500 points of damage! I destroy Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed!" A silhouette of the small brown mine from earlier appeared and blasted an optic blast at Gorgon, turning her into yellow particles. Ace's shoulder fizzled as a result.

**Ace: 1200 – 500 = 700**

"And since you don't have an 'Evil Eye' monster on your field," Ai added, "your Cycle of the Evil Eye goes bye-bye!" Cycle of the Evil Eye also turned into yellow particles as well.

"I also activate Link Supply from my hand!" Playmaker said. "Since I control a Link Monster, I can add a monster from my Graveyard to my hand. Return, Backup Secretary!" A card then popped out of Playmaker's Graveyard, which he added right back to his hand.

"I Set one card face-down." Playmaker thrusted out his right hand. "Battle! Security Dragon attacks you directly! End this duel!" Security Dragon charged forward at Ace on Playmaker's command.

"And the victory goes to us!" Ai cheered.

"I don't think so, my little friend." Ace responded, as he pulled a card out from his sleeve and put it in his hand. "I summon Popobawa, Familiar of the Evil Eye from my hand!" Soon, a human-sized grey-skinned bat immediately appeared on Ace's field. The creature had a large wingspan, huge ears, and sharp fangs. On its forehead was a large, red eye.

**Popobawa, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 0 DEF: 600 LV: 2**

"Wait. How did you summon that monster?" Ai demanded. "You didn't have that monster in your hand in the first place!"

"Popobawa can be Special Summoned when my opponent attacks me directly." Ace explained. "And if it's Special Summoned by its own effect, I can negate the attack and end the Battle Phase!" Popobawa's eye glowed red before unleashing a screech at Security Dragon, causing it to retreat back to Playmaker's field.

"If Ace didn't have that monster in his hand, yet was still able to summon it..." Ai theorized before coming to a conclusion. "It means he cheated!" He pointed his finger at Ace. "You're a big cheating cheater with no morals at all!"

"Oh calm down." Ace replied, shaking his head. "I'll do anything to win, even if it means cheating."

Playmaker narrowed his eyes. Just like Ai, he did not like what Ace did. But all Playmaker had to do was survive one more turn, and the duel would be his.

"I end my turn." Playmaker concluded.

_Elsewhere, at Raguel and Rosetta's duel..._

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said, drawing the top card of his deck.

"I'm assuming you have a plan for whatever it is you have in mind?" Herald asked, turning to face Raguel. "Because I want to let you know that although I support your plan, I just don't want it to lead to our own demise."

"I appreciate the support, Herald." Raguel replied. "And yes, I do have a plan. But first, I need to see what I'm dealing with." _I have to get rid of both Rose Tokens_, he thought, as he went back to the duel. "Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal soon appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two monsters. I'll set the two Rose tokens on my field into the Link Markers!" Both Rose tokens turned into tornadoes of energy and went into the top and left arrowheads, turning them red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Serene Butler!" An elegant, lanky man with pointed white hair and a long mustache to match exited the Link Portal and was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Turboblaze was pointing at, resulting in both monsters being co-linked. He wore a black suit adorned by golden clasps and a golden brooch affixed to the chest area of the suit. He also wore white gloves, pointed shoes, and a monocle on his left eye.

**Cyreath Serene Butler ATK: 1900 LINK-2** ⬅️⬆️

"Once again, Black Garden's effect activates!" Rosetta said. "Since a monster was Normal or Special Summoned to your field, except by Black Garden's effect, its attack points are halved, and a Rose token is Special Summoned to the controller's opponent's side of the field." Thorns erupted from the ground and wrapped themselves around Serene Butler, restraining his movement.

**Cyreath Serene Butler ATK: 1900 / 2 = 950**

Immediately after, another Rose token sprouted onto Rosetta's field.

**Rose Token ATK: 800 DEF: 800 LV: 2**

"It's time to battle!" Raguel declared. "Turboblaze Dragon, attack the Rose token! Desolation Flare!" The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze flew up into the air and charged up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at the Rose Token, but...

"I activate the effect of Rose Gardna from my Graveyard!" A silhouette of Rose Gardna appeared on Rosetta's field. The monster was a female, red-armored knight. In each of her hands was a long shield in the shape of a rose. "By banishing this card, all battle damage I take is halved." The female, red armored knight jumped in front of the Rose token, trying to defend it and herself against Turboblaze's attack. Sadly, the Rose token met its demise and wilted away in the heat.

**Rosetta: 3500 – (2200 / 2) = 2400 LP**

"Turboblaze's additional effect!" Raguel added. "When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you take damage equal to the destroyed monsters attack points!"

"What?" Rosetta said, before wisps of ember bounced off of the silhouette of Rose Gardna's shields and landed on her left arm, causing her to pat it several times to let it out. The next thing she knew, a wisp of ember landed on her mask, resulting in her shrieking as she threw it on the ground in terror.

**Rosetta: 2400 – 800 = 1600 LP**

"Cyreath Serene Butler attacks you directly!" Raguel declared, as Serene Butler, although restrained, grabbed a coin from his pocket and threw it at Rosetta, making her stumble back a few steps and causing her hood to fall back.

**Rosetta: 1600 – 950 = 650 LP**

When Rosetta looked up at Raguel and Herald, the two of them widened their eyes in shock. Behind the mask was a teenage girl, who was likely the same age as Raguel. On her face was a black and red reverse-teardrop shaped marking under each eye.

"You! How dare you do that!" Rosetta said, glaring at them with her grey eyes. If looks could kill, Raguel and Herald would already be dead.

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Raguel concluded. _So that's what she looks like behind the mask_, he thought, as he looked at Rosetta. _If anything, she could be my age_. "I'm sorry for what you went through. But what you're doing isn't helping you. Instead, it's only prolonging your pain."

"And how do you know of the pain I went through?!" Rosetta demanded. "You. Know. Nothing!"

"Maybe," Raguel admitted, "but I do know what it's like to be stuck in it." Rosetta's eyes widened in surprise.

"When you previously attacked with your Black Rose Dragon, other than pain and anger, you want to know what I sensed? I'll tell you: It's the need to belong. You want to feel accepted, but because of what you went through, you're willing to inflict pain on anybody and everybody to try and not feel it again."

"Shut up!" Rosetta snapped. "Just shut up!" She put her hands on her ears to try and block the sound.

"I lost something a long time ago," Raguel continued, ignoring her protests, "and I thought the pain that came after would haunt me forever. But because I let people into my life, I learned to trust them, and in turn, they helped me deal with the pain that's still there today."

"Raguel..." Herald muttered, amazed at what he was saying.

"STOP TALKING!" Rosetta said, anger clearly evident on her face. "I won't let you play mind games with me!"

"Mind games?" Raguel repeated. "I'm not playing mind games with you. I'm trying to help you."

"And why would you help someone that's broken and irreparable?"

"It's because it's not too late for you to heal!" Raguel answered. "The people in my life were there in my life when I was lost in pain. Now, it's time for me to be there for someone who needs help!"

"You're wrong." Rosetta whispered, looking to the ground. "It's too late for me to heal." She then looked up at Raguel. "Resume the duel! My turn! I draw!" She drew the top card of her deck and looked at it, along with the other card in her hand. "I activate the Equip Spell card, United We Stand, and equip it onto Black Rose Dragon! For every monster on my field, the equipped monster gains 800 attack and defense points! Which means Black Rose Dragon gains 1600 attack and defense points!" Black Rose was surrounded briefly by a blue aura as she powered up.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 3000 + (800 X 2) = 4600**

"For trying to play mind games with me, I'll end you here and now! Battle! Black Rose Dragon attacks Cyreath Serene Butler! Black Rose Flare!"

As Black Rose gathered energy inside her maw, Raguel said, "I activate Serene Butler's effect! Once per turn, if you declare an attack with a monster you control, I can flip a coin, and if I call it right, your monster's attack points are halved until the End Phase!" Serene Butler soon grabbed a coin from his pocket and flipped it. "I'll call Tails!" The coin flipped into the air and landed on tails. "Since it landed on Tails, your Black Rose Dragon's attack points are halved until the End Phase!" Serene Butler flicked the coin at Black Rose, hitting her in the eye and temporarily stunning her.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 4600 / 2 = 2300**

"But you're still taking battle damage!" Rosetta reminded him, as Black Rose fired a beam of energy at Serene Butler, which he barely survived. Although Raguel used his arms to shield himself from the attack, he was blasted back and landed on the ground.

**Raguel: 2300 – 1350 = 950 LP**

"Thorn of Malice's effect! Although the monster that battled with Black Rose Dragon can't be destroyed by battle, it still loses 600 attack and defense points! Hate Rose Whip!" The thinner thorned tails that Black Rose Dragon had suddenly launched themselves towards Serene Butler, stabbing him in different parts of the body and making him suffer.

**Cyreath Serene Butler ATK: 950 – 600 = 350 **

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Rosetta concluded. "Which means Black Rose Dragon's attack points revert back to normal."

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2300 X 2 = 4600**

_At Ace and Playmaker's duel..._

"My turn!" Ace declared, drawing the top card of his deck. His Duel Disk suddenly started quietly beeping. It was an alert that Ace installed in his Duel Disk whenever one of his assistants was in serious trouble. Seeing that it was glowing red, he recognized it. _It appears Rosetta is in trouble_, he thought. Which meant he had to wrap up this duel, even though he wanted to continue it.

"It's time to end this Playmaker. I activate the Spell card, Evil Eye Awakening! This card lets me Special Summon one 'Evil Eye' monster from my hand or Graveyard, but if Evil Eye of Selene is in my Spell & Trap card zone, I get to Special Summon an 'Evil Eye' monster from my deck instead. Come to me, Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye!" The velociraptor from earlier reappeared on Ace's field, in the Main Monster Zone.

**Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 2100 LINK-2** ➡️⬇️

"Appear! The circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" A Link Portal appeared above Ace. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Evil Eye' monsters. I'll set Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye, which is a Link 2 monster, and Popobawa, Familiar of the Evil Eye into the Link Markers!" Quarrion split into two tornadoes of energy that went into the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads, while Popobawa went into the top arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! With the power the Evil Eye has given you, unleash your hatred and destruction onto this world in a gleeful manner! Link 3! Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed!" A red-and-gray armored man with large wings emerged from the portal and onto the right Extra Monster Zone on Ace's field. Giant yellow eyes opened at his knees, right arm, left shoulder, and chest. A red lens covered his right eye as well.

**Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2600 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

_Now for the tip of the iceberg_, Ace thought, as a copy of Evil Eye of Gorgoneio slipped from his sleeve and went into his right hand. "I activate the Equip Spell card, Evil Eye of Gorgoneio, and equip it onto Zerrziel." A red lens coated in silver appeared, which Zerrziel grabbed and put on his left eye.

"Hey! That card wasn't in your hand before!" Ai accused Ace. "You _clearly_ cheated again!"

"Evil Eye of Gorgoneio's name becomes Evil Eye of Selene while its in the Spell & Trap card zone." Ace continued, ignoring Ai. "Also, while my life points are lower than yours, the equipped monster gains attack points equal to the difference. Therefore, since the difference between our life points is 850, Zerrziel gains 850 attack points!" A purple aura surrounded Zerrziel as he powered up.

**Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2600 + 850 = 3450**

"Zerrziel's second effect! Once per turn, when he's equipped with Evil Eye of Selene, I can target one card you control and destroy it. I choose your Security Dragon!" Zerrziel fired an optic blast from both red lens at Security Dragon, destroying it.

"Our Security Dragon!" Ai panicked. "We're doomed!"

"Battle!" Ace declared. "Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed attacks you directly Playmaker! Disdainful Vision!" The giant, yellow eyes on Zerrziel glowed as he charged energy at the center. He then fired a beam of energy from the eye at the center of his body, which headed straight for Playmaker!

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Spool Code!" Playmaker suddenly said. "When this card is activated while I have three or more Cyberse monsters in my Graveyard, not only can I negate your attack, I can Special Summon up to three Spool tokens in defense position to my field!"

"We're saved!" Ai cheered, as a translucent barrier appeared and protected Playmaker and Ai from Zerrziel's attack.

Then three blue and white disks with an orange light on them all appeared at once in defense position on Playmaker's field.

**Spool Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

**Spool Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

**Spool Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"I end my turn." Ace concluded. "Know this, Playmaker: You're no match for Zerrziel!"

_That was too close_, Numera thought, who witnessed what happened. Had it not been for Spool Code, Playmaker would have been toast.

"My turn! I draw!" Playmaker declared, drawing the top card of his deck. "First, I will create my ultimate circuit!" A Link Portal soon appeared ahead of Playmaker. "The summoning conditions are one Level 4 or lower Cyberse monster. I'll set one of my Spool tokens into the Link Markers!" One of the Spool tokens went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Link Disciple!" A red and black machine appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on Playmaker's field.

**Link Disciple ATK: 500 LINK-1** ⬇️

"I activate the effect of Link Supply from my Graveyard! Since I Link Summoned a monster this turn, I can banish this card from my Graveyard and draw one card from my deck!" Playmaker proceeded to draw the top card of his deck.

"Backup Secretary's effect! Since I control a Cyberse monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" For a second time, Backup Secretary appeared on Playmaker's field.

**Backup Secretary ATK: 1200 DEF: 800 LVL: 3**

"And now I shall create my ultimate and final circuit!" Playmaker declared, as a second Link Portal appeared ahead of him. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I'll set Link Disciple, which is a Link 1 monster, Backup Secretary, and the remaining two Spool tokens into the Link Markers!" The remaining two Spool tokens went into the left and right arrowheads, while Link Disciple and Backup Secretary went into the top and bottom arrowheads.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 4! Firewall Dragon!" A massive blue and white dragon with circles all over its body appeared on the field, summoned to the Main Monster Zone Zerrziel was pointing to.

**Firewall Dragon ATK: 2500 LINK-4** ⬅️⬆️⬇️➡️

"A Link 4 monster..." Numera muttered, seeing Firewall Dragon on Playmaker's field.

"An impressive monster, Playmaker." Ace commented. "But like I said before: You're no match for Zerrziel!"

"Then let's put those words to the test, shall we?" Playmaker responded. "I first activate Firewall Dragon's effect! Once, while it's on the field, I can return monsters on the field or Graveyard back to their owner's hands up to the number of monsters co-linked to this card. Since Firewall Dragon is co-linked with one monster, I'll return Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed back to your hand! Emergency Escape!" Ace could do nothing but widen his eyes in shock as Firewall Dragon fired electricity from its head at Zerrziel, electrocuting him into particles and returning him back to the Extra Deck.

"And since Link Monsters don't go to the hand, they go right back to your Extra Deck instead!" Ai added.

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Cosmic Cyclone." Playmaker continued. "By paying 1000 life points, I can target one Spell or Trap card on the field and banish it. I target and banish Evil Eye Domain – Pareidolia!" As Playmaker's life points dropped, a cyclone burst out of Cosmic Cyclone and shredded Evil Eye Domain – Pareidolia into particles.

**Playmaker: 1550 – 1000 = 550 LP**

"Battle!" Playmaker pointed his right index finger at Ace. "Firewall Dragon attacks you directly, Ace! Tempest Terahertz!" Firewall Dragon's wings transformed into eight pieces that formed rings of energy around it. The dragon then gathered energy in its mouth before firing it at Ace, causing him to turn into particles.

**Ace: 700 – 2500 = 0**

"Wahoo!" Ai cheered. "We beat him so hard that he literally logged out!"

Numera then got a notification on her Duel Disk, indicating that the anchor program was gone. "Greg, the anchor program's gone."

"I'm aware, Rachel." Greg commented. "Although I wasn't able to decipher its code before it happened."

"Don't worry about it." Numera replied. "We'll be more prepared next time." She then sped her duel board so she could ride parallel with Playmaker.

"Nice job, Playmaker. At least that cheater is-."

"Did you really believe you would get rid of me oh so easily?" Ace said out of nowhere, as a swarm of cards appeared and formed into a shape, By the time they were finished, they disappeared, revealing Ace on his duel board. In his left hand, he carried a blue sphere.

"What?" Ai, Playmaker and Numera said at the same time, clearly surprised at what they were seeing.

"I'll have you know that what you dueled was merely a data clone." Ace told them. "Although expensive on the black market, they are quite useful in studying your dueling skills. And you could say that I succeeded." He then tapped the top of the sphere, causing it to vanish. "Now if you excuse me, I have another matter to take care of. Like those Cyberse cards for instance." And Ace went so fast on his duel board that it look liked he vanished.

"Just great!" Ai complained. "He got away!"

"He's probably still in the network." Playmaker surmised. He turned to Numera and said, "I'll investigate this area. You investigate the area up ahead."

"All right fine. But on one condition." Numera responded. "Whoever finds him first has to alert the other. Understand?"

Playmaker nodded. "All right." He then turned to the right, while Numera continued going forward. "Kusanagi, you there?"

"Yeah." Kusanagi answered. "Loud and clear. I'm guessing you need the fastest route to Raguel from where you are?"

"That would be helpful, actually."

"Right. Hold on." Kusanagi pulled up a map of LINK VRAINS on the monitor. "Okay. Keep going forward, buddy."

As Playmaker followed Kusanagi's instructions, he thought, _Hang on, Raguel. I'm almost there. Just give me a little more time_.

_Elsewhere, at Raguel and Rosetta's duel..._

Raguel slowly stood up, grunting as he did so.

"You're still up, after that attack?" Rosetta said. "I'm impressed. But regardless, you should know by now that I can't be healed. All I know is pain and anger, and I'll use that as tools for my revenge against the Cyberse!"

"I refuse to believe that!" Raguel retorted. "Not when I can show you another path. A better one. And I'll prove it! My turn! I draw!" Raguel drew the top card of his deck and looked at it. "It's time to battle! Turboblaze Dragon attacks one of your Rose tokens!" The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze flew up into the air and charged up an orb of orange fire.

"I activate my Trap card, Wall of Thorns!" Rosetta said. "Since a Plant monster I control is targeted for an attack, I can destroy all attack position monsters you control!" Thorns erupted from the card and lashed out at Turboblaze and Serene Butler. However...

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Forbidden Lance!" Raguel said in response, surprising Rosetta. "I target one monster on my field, and until the End Phase, it loses 800 attack points. In exchange, it becomes unaffected by card effects. I target Turboblaze Dragon!" Forbidden Lance glowed, causing Turboblaze to lose some strength. However, unlike Serene Butler, who was pierced with thorns and destroyed, Turboblaze was protected.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 – 800 = 2200**

"Desolation Flare!" After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at the Rose token, hitting it upon impact and causing it to burn away. Rosetta could do nothing but shield herself as her remaining life points went down to zero.

**Rosetta: 650 – 1400 = 0**

Weakened by the entire duel, Rosetta ended up falling onto her knees. "What am I feeling?" she muttered, tears coming out of her eyes as Raguel's words continued to play in her head like a tape recording. "Regret? Sadness? All of the above?" She then looked at Raguel and pleaded, "Help me."

"Rosetta..." Raguel muttered.

"Rosetta is not your concern." Ace said, as he jumped down from his duel board and landed behind Rosetta before standing up.

"Who the hell are you?" Raguel demanded.

"I think you've caused enough damage for one day, Raguel. Rosetta's coming home with me." Ace told him, walking to Rosetta and placing a hand on her shoulder, getting her attention. "It's okay. You tried. Next time, you'll do better."

"You still didn't answer my question." Raguel said, as Rosetta slowly got up.

"My name is Ace." Ace introduced himself. "And while I can't stay for long, know that I look forward to our _official_ meeting."

As he and Rosetta turned around and started logging out, Raguel said, "Come back here!" Unfortunately, by the time he reached them, they already logged out completely.

"Raguel." Playmaker said, jumping from his duel board and landing beside him before standing up. "What happened?"

"I defeated the one who got the Cyberse cards." Raguel stated, turning to face Playmaker. "Unfortunately, before I could get them, a guy ended up appearing out of nowhere and logged out with her."

"Did the guy that appeared have short, slicked green hair by any chance?" Ai asked.

"Yes." Herald confirmed. "He just logged out along with a woman named Rosetta."

"Then we just missed him." Playmaker said, making a fist.

"Playmaker, what do you mean by 'missed him'?" Raguel asked.

"That duelist who just logged out was the one I dueled earlier." Playmaker answered. "He said his name was Ace, and that he was working for the Hanoi."

Raguel's eyes widened. "Are you sure?" Playmaker nodded. "Had I known, I would have used my Data Anchor to stop him from leaving."

"Even if you did, he probably would have had a countermeasure prepared." Playmaker told him. But before he could continue, Numera appeared on her duel board and jumped off of it, landing near them.

"There you guys are!" Numera said, walking to where they were. "I thought I told you to contact me if you found that cheater." She then turned to Raguel. "And you! You were supposed to contact me if you found the one who stole the Cyberse cards."

"Sorry, Numera." Raguel apologized. "I wanted to settle the matter peacefully before I contacted you. Unfortunately, one thing led to another, and well, the thief escaped."

Numera put her arms on the back of her head. "Well. This just made getting those Cyberse cards much harder then. I sure hope you understand that, Raguel."

"Raguel," Playmaker said, getting his attention, "we'll talk more about this situation in the real world." He then logged out.

"Right back at you, Playmaker." Raguel replied, before logging out as well, much to Numera's shock.

"Hey!" Numera cried out. "We're not done talking here, Raguel. I still haven't let you hear the end of messing up the task Watchman gave us."

"You do know that shouting's a sign of not just aggression, but of being upset too, right honey?" Greg asked over the com.

"I'm aware." Numera replied, turning to Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria, who were both still unconscious. "Well, we might as well log these two out."

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

An exhausted Yuhiro stepped out of the closed-off space, clearly tired from today's events. He was so tired that he was forced to lean on the wall for support using his shoulder. Roxy, upon hearing the 'thud' sound, ran over to where Yuhiro was and stopped him from falling over.

"Easy there." Roxy said. "You've been through a lot today." The two of them then went over to the chairs, where Yuhiro sat in his, while Roxy sat in hers.

"Yeah. You could say that." Yuhiro agreed with her.

"Say, where's Herald? I got something to ask him." After Yuhiro took off his Duel Disk and handed it to Roxy, which Herald emerged out of, she shouted at him, "FIRST YOU GO UPGRADING MY TECH WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, AND THEN YOU MUTE ME?!"

"GAAAH!" Herald said, shaking as he retreated back into the Duel Disk. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to make it better for you."

"I'll deal with you later." Roxy replied, before turning to Yuhiro and handing his Duel Disk back to him. "Yuhiro. I saw everything on the monitor. How are you feeling?"

"Overwhelmed." Yuhiro answered. "And not sure what to do to be honest."

"Then tell me what happened."

Yuhiro then told Roxy about Rosetta, the person who managed to defeat both Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria and acquire their Cyberse cards. He also told her about his duel against Rosetta, how during the duel, he managed to see a _broken_ person behind the mask of a ruthless duelist who claimed that all she knew was pain and anger. But before he could try and help her, a person named Ace appeared out of nowhere and helped her escape with the Cyberse cards.

"Wow," was all Roxy said, as she processed the information. "That's a lot to take in."

"Yeah." Yuhiro turned around on his chair and placed his Duel Disk on the table where the digital keyboard was. "If I had just known that Ace was with the Hanoi, I could have stopped him from leaving."

Roxy moved her chair and placed a hand on Yuhiro's shoulder, getting his attention. "No one can know everything, pal. That's the truth. We may have lost the battle today, but we haven't lost the war yet. We'll get those Cyberse cards back."

Yuhiro smiled. "Once again, your pep talks do the trick Roxy."

"You could say I'm good at giving them out." Roxy replied, a smile on her face. "Besides, it wasn't a total loss for us. After all, you got a small victory for yourself out of today."

When Yuhiro raised an eyebrow at her comment, Roxy rolled her eyes and put her hands on the back of her head. "Are you a doofus? You were willing to help someone who's your age, is a female, and has suffered. That indicates you have a big heart."

Yuhiro widened his eyes in surprise. "Wait, what? Roxy, I was doing it so she could surrender the Cyberse cards!"

Roxy, in response, gave Yuhiro a noogie. "Don't try to lie to me, buster. You know clearly well that I'm practically a lie detector."

"She's right, Yuhiro." Herald added, emerging a bit from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "You can't lie to her."

Yuhiro turned and scowled at Herald, scaring him before turning back at Roxy. "Okay, fine. You win. I wanted to help her, which means I have a big heart. You happy?"

Roxy smirked as she crossed her arms. "Totally." Her face then turned serious again. "What do you think we'll do about all this? Rosetta? This 'Ace' person working with the Hanoi? And with the Hanoi itself?"

Yuhiro turned to the monitor as Ace's words replayed in his head. _And while I can't stay for long, know that I look forward to our official meeting_. Then he thought of Infearno's words. _You may have been victorious today Raguel, but as long as you continue to get involved with the Hanoi, I can promise you that our battle is far from over! This I swear!_

He narrowed his eyes. "We get the Cyberse cards back, help Rosetta with whatever she's going through, and defeat the Hanoi. This I promise!"

**Card Gallery**

_Rose Gardna (LV: 4/Plant/Earth/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1500)_

_Effect: If you would take battle damage: You can banish this card from your GY; all battle damage you would have taken during that battle is halved._

_Popobawa, Familiar of the Evil Eye (LV: 2/Fiend/Dark/ATK: 0/DEF: 600)_

_Effect: When your opponent attacks you directly with a monster they control: You can Special Summon this card from your hand; negate the attack, then end the Battle Phase. You can only use this effect of 'Popobawa, Familiar of the Evil Eye' once per Duel._

_Cache Upload (Normal Spell card)_

_Effect: Target 1 Link Monster your opponent controls; draw cards equal to its Link Rating. You can only activate 1 'Cache Upload' per turn._

_Cycle of the Evil Eye (Continuous-Trap Card)_

_Effect: When this card is activated: You can tribute 1 'Evil Eye' monster you control that is equipped with 'Evil Eye of Selene', and if you do, both players gain 1000 LP. During your opponent's End Phase, if you control an 'Evil Eye' monster: You can inflict 300 damage to your opponent. When you control no monsters: Destroy this card._

_Cyreath Endurance (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: When a monster you control is targeted for an attack: You can banish 1 'Cyreath' Link monster from your GY; and if you do, battle damage you would have taken this turn is reduced by 500 x its Link Rating._

_Quarrion, Familiar of the Evil Eye (LR: 2/Fiend/Dark/ATK: 2100/_➡️⬇️)

_Effect: 2 'Evil Eye' monsters. When this card is Link Summoned: You can add 1 'Evil Eye' card from your deck to your hand. Once per turn: You can target one monster your opponent controls and one 'Evil Eye' monster in your GY; your opponent's monster loses ATK equal to your monsters ATK._

**QOTC**

_How do you think Ace and Rosetta will impact the story in general?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 24: Doubt. Since her duel against Raguel, Rosetta has been having doubts on her actions, and whether or not she can truly find peace for herself. Meanwhile, Gekiryushi, who's been recovering since her duel against Dancho, is summoned by Kitamura at SOL Technologies, who somehow found the Hanoi Stronghold in LINK VRAINS... _

**Author's Notes**

Whew, what a chapter!

The two main things that happened in this chapter were the duels between Playmaker and Ace, and Raguel and Rosetta. I really hoped you enjoyed both duels, as not only were they hard to write, I had to triple-check them several times to ensure that I was doing it correctly (after all, it's good to check for mistakes). I'll recap each duel separately so you can understand why I wrote down what I did.

The first duel, Playmaker vs. Ace, was tricky because I wanted to prove to each and every one of you that I can write a Cyberse duel efficiently. In the duel, I had originally planned for Playmaker to obtain a Cyberse card from the Data Storm using his Skill, but ultimately decided against it. Why? To demonstrate how Playmaker can adapt with what he _has_ instead of relying on miracles, compared to Ace, who relies on cheating to win.

The second duel, Raguel vs. Rosetta, was a bit easier. For those of you who were confused as to the purpose of Rosetta's deck, it uses a Lockdown strategy with burn and battle damage elements. In the future, she'll evolve her deck as the story goes on, which will show her growth as a duelist.

During that duel, Rosetta shares a piece of her backstory, which is this: Her family suffered a great loss at the same time Cyberse cards came out, and instead of helping each other get through it, one by one, they were forced to move on. All because their jobs, in someway, had something to do with Cyberse cards. This led her to realize that people will only look out for themselves, which motivates her to destroy every Cyberse card in existence for tearing her family apart, no matter who got hurt.

**Keep in mind this is only a piece of her backstory, not all of it. The rest will be revealed later on during the arc. **

By the time the duel ends, Ace arrives to rescue Rosetta, with them getting away moments before Playmaker and Numera could arrive. Both Playmaker and Raguel agree to talk about the situation in the real world before logging out, leaving Numera to log out Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria (yes. Both of them are alive).

Thank you very much for your patience, as well as for reading Chapter 23 of Obscured Truth. As always, let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. In addition, constructive criticism is always welcome, as it helps make the story even better. If you know of anyone who would be interested in reading the story, don't hesitate in showing them.

Before I go, I want to let you in on what's next. Since writing this chapter took a bit longer than expected due to work, I'll do the next Profile Update on Revolver and Faust, which I intend to release this week. After that, it will be Chapter 24, which will take less time, so don't worry!

I hope you're all safe out there, and I will see you next time!


	24. Chapter 24: Doubt

**Responses to Reviews**

Thank you to HunterHQ, ZeroMK7, Guest, Electriuser, And Then the Sky, E.T. 2000, Ethan Kironus, Donjusticia, and Noobmaster for reviewing Chapter 23 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everyone! I hope that you're safe and healthy wherever you are. I also want to thank everyone for their positive reviews, as it not only indicates that you're enjoying the story, but that you enjoyed the duels as well (and I'm happy that people enjoyed Playmaker's duel with Ace. Which means I'm doing great!).

As always, if you want a good laugh, I encourage you to read Roxy's Reports, a series of Duel Profiles that occur between chapters (who knows? There might be a detail or two for future seasons to come).

Without further ado, it's time to answer some reviews:

HunterHQ: Rachel will eventually tell Yuhiro how she got the Cyberse cards. As for the duel between Raguel and Rosetta, some of it was actually inspired from the first duel between Yusei and Akiza. Oh, and to answer your question regarding Cyreath Salvation: Even if Raguel did manage to save Hercules, Rosetta would still have managed to deal damage, which would have lead to him summoning Turboblaze on his third turn. Hope that clears things up.

ZeroMK7: Happy that you enjoyed the chapter. And on the topic regarding Black Rose Dragon's manga counterpart, all I'll say is: Be patient. For you never know what will come in the future.

Guest: To acquire the answer to your question, I encourage you to keep on reading.

Electriuser: Okay, allow me to clarify something: Rosetta doesn't hate pieces of cardboard. Rather, she hates the very thing that tore her family apart, which is Cyberse. And keep in mind that the Cyberse are living creatures, whether they are in card form or not (after all, the Ignis did create them once Cyberse World was finished). Regardless, I'm happy that you enjoyed Playmaker's Speed Duel, and as for your other question, Ace did cheat in Chapter 21 during his duel against Specter.

And then the Sky: Okay, a lot of information, so give me a few sentences to condense everything into this reply. First off, I'm _very_ happy that my story has satisfied you so far. I'm also glad that you liked the angle I took for Playmaker's Speed Duel. Second, your constructive criticism, after reading it, is really insightful. I want to assure you that Yuhiro does have weaknesses, and they will be _proper_ ones that will be revealed when the time comes. After all, he's a human being, and no human being is perfect. Third, Infearno is going to be the one that duels Yuhiro while Playmaker and Revolver duel during the Tower of Hanoi arc. Fourth, I encourage you to keep on reading, as Rosetta appears in this chapter. Fifth, I didn't know that the song 'Whims of Fate' from Persona 5 fit him.

E.T. 2000: I'm glad you enjoyed both duels. And you're right, Ace was smart in preventing Playmaker from using Storm Access (or else we'd have another Deus Ex Machina moment). As for your other question, this is what I'll tell you: I do plan on a Legendary Monster appearing in Season 2, and more existing archetypes will also appear. It'll be up to you to guess which ones will appear.

Ethan Kironus: I didn't expect you to not only favorite my story, but to give it a chance. For that, I give you my sincerest thanks. I do hope you enjoy not only this chapter, but the rest of the story going forward.

Donjusticia: Your reviews reminded me of TeamFourStar's Dragon Ball Z Abridged (they made me laugh too). I do hope you enjoy reading the story going forward.

Noobmaster: Ace _did_ cheat against Specter during their duel.

And with reviews answered, it's time for the chapter!

**Chapter 24: Doubt**

_At Café Matsuo, in the morning..._

"Progleo!" Yuhiro called out to the cub, as he walked downstairs to the second floor, composing of the living and dining rooms. "Where are you, buddy? I have to go to school, and I need to-."

CRASH!

Yuhiro was both startled and curious as to what that sound was. Knowing that the sound came from the second floor, he peeked into the living room, only to see a swarm of cockroaches run past him, with Progleo chasing after them from the kitchen.

"Get them, boy!" Roxy said to Progleo, who followed the cub with a broom in her hand and ran past Yuhiro. "Don't let them get to the first floor!"

"I'm gonna get you." Progleo declared, as he jumped over the cockroaches, cornering and giving them a brief scare. By the time they decided to start running away in the opposite direction, Roxy _smashed_ them several times with her broom, stunning them even more.

"Quick, Yuhiro!" Roxy stated. "Grab the trash can from the kitchen!"

"Uh, sure?" Yuhiro replied, running to the trash can in the kitchen and grabbing it before returning to the living room and giving it to Roxy. After putting it down on the ground, she swept the stunned cockroaches into the trash can before sealing it shut.

"Whew, that was a close one." Roxy said, approaching Progleo and petting him on the head. "Good boy. You made me proud."

"Roxy, what was that all about?" Yuhiro asked flatly, giving her a slight scare, indicating that he got her attention.

"Oh, Yuhiro," Roxy said, rubbing her head sheepishly. "You saw all that, didn't you?"

"Obviously." Yuhiro replied. "Seriously. I never seen you so hellbent on killing cockroaches before."

"Well," Roxy said, as she took the trash bag containing the cockroaches and tying it into a knot, "remember when I said how cleanliness is the #1 priority in restaurants?"

"Yeah?"

"I meant that." Roxy went downstairs to Café Matsuo and put the trash bag in the trash can, while Yuhiro and Progleo followed after her. "A single one of these vermin can bring the entire place down, and I won't lose it due to a couple of bugs."

Yuhiro crossed his arms. "Okay. That explains one problem. But why did you bring Progleo into this mess?"

For a second time, Roxy rubbed her head sheepishly. "After I learned how relentless Progleo was with chasing squirrels, I figured I could put that energy to good use. Which is why I asked for his help."

"And I got to pounce on something!" Progleo added, as Yuhiro bent down to the cub's level. "Or at least tried to."

"You'll get them next time buddy," Yuhiro assured the cub, as he put the leash on his collar. He was then about to walk out the door with Progleo when Roxy stopped him.

"You'll keep an eye on your phone and tablet, right? In case something regarding the Hanoi comes up?"

Yuhiro nodded.

"Good. In that case, have a great day at school!" Without a further word, Yuhiro exited Café Matsuo and started walking to Den Academy.

"First, it was squirrels, now it's bugs." Yuhiro said to Progleo. "It's like you're starting to get used to the creatures of Earth or something."

"What?" Progleo replied. "Roxy needed my help with getting those pesky bugs dealt with, and I was more than happy to assist."

"Well, from past experiences, you _are_ a curious creature, Progleo." Herald stated, who was in his eyeball form. "And that curiosity of yours is something you need to be careful about. Otherwise, something that you perceive as innocent will only turn out to be dangerous." He then turned to Yuhiro. "Could we change the subject to something that's important? Like the fact that the Hanoi stole two Cyberse cards for whatever it is they're planning?!"

"Not so loud, Herald." Yuhiro scolded the Ignis. "And yeah, on what you said, it sucks. If it weren't for Ace appearing out of nowhere, I might have been able to retrieve them from Rosetta."

"Says the guy who was willing to help someone that was your age, a female, and has suffered." Progleo pointed out with a smirk on his face, causing Yuhiro to roll his eyes in embarrassment, while Herald chuckled. Great. Now Progleo was teasing him about the people in his life. _First, it was Roxy. Then Rachel. Then Miles and Quinton. And now Progleo,_ Yuhiro thought. He made a mental note to talk to Roxy after school about who could tease him.

"Hey Herald," Yuhiro said, getting the Ignis's attention, "could you tell me about World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy? You said that it was destroyed when Revolver attacked the Cyberse World."

"And yet Watchman was somehow able to save it." Herald stated, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "Yuhiro, what you need to know about World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy is this: It's so strong that it was able to power the entire Cyberse World all by itself. As to how SOL Technologies acquired the card is beyond me."

"But did you and the other Ignis have a contingency in case something was wrong with World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy?"

"Just call it World Gears for short." Herald told Yuhiro. "And yes. Each of us Ignis created a support pillar with a portion of World Gears' power so the Cyberse World would continue to be powered in the event something happened to the main power supply."

"Okay." Yuhiro replied, understanding what Herald told him. "To be honest, I'm kind of glad that it's secure in SOL Technologies for the time being."

"And why's that?"

"It's because we know that it's safe, and out of the Hanoi's clutches." Yuhiro answered.

"For now." Herald emphasized. "If the Hanoi were able to obtain World Gears for themselves, the results would be catastrophic."

"Yeah." Yuhiro kept on walking. Based on the scenario Herald described, Yuhiro knew that it was crucial to acquire World Gears before the Hanoi did. Because if they didn't, and the Hanoi obtained its power instead, it would surely be catastrophic indeed.

_Meanwhile, in the Hanoi Stronghold..._

"The two of you have done an excellent job." Revolver said, holding Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme and Crusadia Equimax in his right hand. "These Cyberse cards will be perfect sacrifices for the Tower of Hanoi."

"I'm sure they will." Ace replied, giving a smirk to Revolver. The two of them were in the Hanoi Stronghold's observation deck, where they could oversee Rosetta's duel against a duel dummy. That way, she could train for what's to come.

"Battle!" Rosetta declared. "Black Rose Dragon attacks The Fiend Megacyber! Black Rose Flare!" Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it at The Fiend Megacyber, destroying it and dropping the duel dummy's life points to zero.

Even though the duel was easy, it was evident that Rosetta was more tired than usual, as she was clearly panting.

"What's wrong?" Revolver asked Ace. "Concerned for your little 'Assassin'?"

"Normally, Rosetta would have taken that duel dummy down in a couple of rounds." Ace answered back.

"Well, based on this duel, as well as the one between her and Raguel, I can come to one conclusion." Revolver theorized, a hand on his chin. "It appears that her dueling prowess has been hindered since her duel against Raguel, where she lost."

"I don't need you to tell me what I already know." Ace said, turning to face Revolver. "From what I'm seeing, she needs fixing. The thing is: I don't know what exactly I need to fix."

"Then allow me to help you with your dilemma." Revolver said, looking at Rosetta. "It wasn't her duel. Rather, it was her _opponent_."

Ace then smirked upon realizing the answer. "Yes. Could it be that Rosetta has a crush?"

"I don't care what it is." Revolver stated, as he turned around and started walking from Ace. "If she is to serve the Hanoi, nothing must hinder her as a duelist. It therefore falls onto you to fix this. Before I do it myself. _Permanently_." And Revolver then walked out of the observation deck.

Meanwhile, Rosetta left the dueling field, satisfied with her victory. However, Ace caught up to her.

"Rosetta," Ace said, approaching her. "That was an impressive duel."

"Yeah, right." Rosetta replied.

"You're too hard on yourself." Ace gently told her. "Whatever's troubling you, you can always tell me. After all, we're friends."

"I'm fine. I just need to rest." Unfortunately for her, Ace didn't buy it.

"Come now. I've known you too long for you to start lying." Ace stated. "I saved you. Or don't you remember?" Those words got Rosetta's attention. "You were abandoned by your family, who was supposed to be there for you in your grief, thus turning you into an outcast. You had no friends to turn to, and no one wanted to be around you. They'd stare at you from afar, afraid of what you've become. And when you were ready to throw away your future, who was it that saved you? Me, Ace. Now you're one of the Black Market's most powerful agents, surrounded by friends who share your abilities, all thanks to yours truly. What's more, you get to unleash your pain and anger on the very thing that tore your family away from you."

"Cyberse..." Rosetta muttered, looking down to the ground.

"At the very least, you can tell me what is really going on." Ace said, trying to get Rosetta's attention for a second time. "Why are you distracted? What's so important that you're risking not only your accomplishments, but mine as well?"

Gathering her thoughts quickly, Rosetta looked into Ace's eyes and said, "I said it's nothing." She then started walking away from Ace, only for him to continue talking.

"Or is it Raguel?" That statement caused Rosetta to widen her eyes and open her mouth in shock. Judging from her reaction, Ace guessed correctly.

"You don't have to be super-smart to figure it out." Ace continued, turning to her. "You think you can run off, live a normal life once again, and have Raguel fight your battles for you? Very romantic. But I'm afraid your place will always be here, by my side. Understand?"

"I understand." Rosetta answered.

"Then turn around and say it to my face." Ace boldly requested. Sure enough, Rosetta turned around and faced Ace, just as he wanted.

"I understand."

"Good." Ace breathed a sigh of relief, satisfied with her answer. "Get some rest. You'll need it the next time you encounter Raguel, Playmaker, or one of their allies." And Rosetta walked away from him, exiting the duel arena component of the Hanoi Stronghold.

A couple of seconds later, Ace's Duel Disk started beeping, indicating that he's receiving a call. Clicking on one of the buttons, he learned that Athaliah was calling him.

"Not now," he told her, answering her call.

"My apologies," Athaliah said on the other end, "but I cross-referenced everyone in Den City regarding the dataprint."

"And?"

"I found a match." Athaliah stated, causing Ace to narrow his eyes.

"Is that so?" Ace said. "Forward the results to me first. I need to check something before showing them to Revolver." He then hung up on her, ending the call.

After Rosetta entered her room in the Hanoi Stronghold, she sat down on a nearby chair and thought of the words Raguel told her during their duel. _When you previously attacked with your Black Rose Dragon, other than pain and anger, you want to know what I sensed? I'll tell you: It's the need to belong. You want to feel accepted, but because of what you went through, you're willing to inflict pain on anybody and everybody to try and not feel it again._

She narrowed her eyes as she looked down on the floor. _Do I really duel like that just to avoid my sadness?_ Rosetta thought. _I want to make the Cyberse suffer, but at the same time, I just want to belong again._ She then took out Black Rose Dragon from her deck and looked at it. "Raguel..." she muttered. "I don't know who you are, but since our duel, you're making me question everything." The question on her mind was: Could she truly find peace for herself?

_At the Den City Regis Hotel..._

"Damn it..." Gekiryushi muttered, as she got up from her bed and stretched her arms, even though she felt some pain in them. Ever since her duel against Dancho, she had been ordered by SOL Technologies to recover from her injuries. All because she was humiliated by her former sensei and turned into an 'Another' within three turns. Not only did that duel humiliate her, but it put SOL Technologies' reputation into question as to whether it can keep the people of Den City safe or not.

So here she was. Recovering. And waiting for something to happen.

RING RING!

Noticing that the phone was ringing, Gekiryushi went to the nearby desk and picked it up. Upon learning who was calling her, she rolled her eyes.

"I know it's you, Kitamura." Gekiryushi immediately said on her phone. "Has something come up regarding the Hanoi?"

"You could say that." Kitamura answered on the other end. "I've found something that will end them once and for all. Please meet me at SOL Technologies." He then hung up on her, causing her to sigh in complete annoyance.

"Of all the people to be assigned as Security Chief, it had to be you, Kitamura..." Gekiryushi muttered, as she headed to the bathroom to freshen up for her meeting.

After showering and putting on a fresh set of clothes, Gekiryushi went over to her desk to pick up her Duel Disk and phone before heading out. But before she could reach the door...

"Obeying your master's call, like the loyal dog you are..."

Gekiryushi's eyes widened in shock upon hearing that voice. A voice she didn't expect to hear. She turned around to see if who was speaking to her wasn't there. Unfortunately, it turned out that Dancho was on the other side of the room, speaking to her.

"S-S-Sensei Ikiagi...?!" Gekiryushi said, unsure of how Dancho was still alive. From what she recalled, he became an 'Another' just like the other Hanoi lieutenants.

"I should think it's obvious." Dancho replied, a smirk on his face.

"I thought... I thought you became an 'Another'." Gekiryushi said, as Dancho walked closer to her. "You shouldn't be here!"

"And yet here I am." Dancho pointed out, suddenly appearing on the other side of the room behind Gekiryushi. "As I once told you a long time ago, there is more than one way to exist." He then raised his right hand, releasing a blast of dark chi at Gekiryushi, causing her to protect herself with her arms as she was pushed back.

The next thing Gekiryushi knew, Dancho rushed and went right _through_ her, giving her the shivers and catching her off guard.

"Why are you here?!" Gekiryushi demanded. "WHY ARE YOU HERE?!"

"Why, to teach you of course." Dancho answered, turning to face her. "Tell me, former pupil of mine: Why is it that you fight? What is the motivation that drives your cause?"

"You know exactly as well as I do, Sensei Ikiagi." Gekiryushi said. "I fight to bring the corrupt to justice. So that they get what they deserve!"

Dancho simply laughed at her declaration. "Even after your loss, you still learned nothing?" He dashed towards Gekiryushi and hit her in the stomach, making her stumble back a few steps. "Allow me another question. What about the innocents involved in your crusade for 'justice'? What happens to them?"

Gekiryushi couldn't utter a single word in response to Dancho's question. It reminded her of what he told her before their duel concluded. _Life isn't as black and white as you believe. You can't just look down on others by refusing to see their perspective. Otherwise, you're no better than the people you judge as evil!_

"No response, huh? Surely, you must have know that this was eventually going to happen." Dancho took a few steps forward before continuing. "You better be careful, Gekiryushi. Otherwise, you'll take an innocent life, and that will change you forever."

"Shut up!" Gekiryushi told him, turning to face Dancho. "You don't know that!"

"YES I DO!" Dancho roared at her, in a voice so loud that it caused Gekiryushi to put her hands on her ears. "YOU THINK YOU'RE CRUSADE MAKES YOU RIGHTEOUS?" He hit her with another blast of dark chi, pushing her back once again. "WRONG! IT MAKES YOU JUDGE, JURY, AND EXECUTIONER!" Dancho fired a third blast of dark chi at Gekiryushi, making her plant her feet to avoid falling to the ground. "JUST WAIT, GEKIRYUSHI! ONCE YOU END UP TAKING THAT INNOCENT LIFE, YOU'LL BE HAUNTED BY YOUR MISTAKE FOREVER!"

"Shut up, Shut up, SHUT UP!" Gekiryushi screamed at the top of her lungs to stop him from talking. Upon learning that Dancho was no longer there, she removed her hands from her ears as soon as a few seconds passed. _Not again_, she thought, walking over to the door. A side effect from her duel was that she continued to be haunted by Dancho in her dreams. Now it was happening when she was awake? Just great.

Gekiryushi shook her head. As she left her room, she made a mental note to book an appointment with a doctor once she completed her assignment. _I'll prove that my crusade is righteous, Sensei_, Gekiryushi thought, as she headed to one of the taxis and requested a ride to SOL Technologies.

_At SOL Technologies..._

When Gekiryushi arrived at SOL Technologies, she immediately headed for SOL Headquarters, knowing that whatever Kitamura found must be important in order to defeat the Hanoi once and for all.

"What perfect timing." Kitamura said, turning his desk chair around to face Gekiryushi as she entered SOL Headquarters. "I trust you understand why I called you?"

Gekiryushi nodded. "You said that you found a way to end the Hanoi once and for all. What exactly is it?"

"I'm glad you asked." He then motioned to his left side, where there were three humanoid robots in different colors. The first robot was colored black and grey, the second was colored purple with neon highlights, and the third was colored red with white lines. "These are three of my strongest AI duelists: AI-X, AI-Y, and AI-Z. Only the strongest will be able to complete this assignment."

"Which is?"

Kitamura then turned to his laptop and pushed a button on, which showed an image on the large, translucent neon-green screen that was on the other side of the room. "Destroy the Hanoi's base of operations."

Gekiryushi's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the image on the screen. Sure enough, it showed where the Hanoi's base of operations was. If this mission was a success, then the Hanoi would be no more. Still, it did raise a question for her. "How did you find their location?"

"I paid the Piper." Kitamura answered, a smirk on his face evident. When Gekiryushi raised an eyebrow, he sighed and turned to face her. "I paid a very-skilled hacker to identify their location for me."

"Oh." Gekiryushi replied, now understanding what Kitamura meant. She then changed the subject. "Other than destroy the Hanoi's base of operations, is there anything else that's required for this assignment?"

"As a matter of fact, two things." Kitamura confirmed, handing her two data cards: one blue, and one red. "One: Retrieve the information that the Hanoi has in their databanks. The blue card that you hold will let you make a copy of that information before my AI Duelists destroy the place. Two: With the red card in your hand, I want to capture one of the Hanoi's members, preferably Revolver. By doing so, we'll be able to obtain information and lock them up, as well as restore the public's faith in us."

_Or more so in you and that big ego of yours_, Gekiryushi thought. "Very well. I will go immediately."

"Glad to hear your enthusiasm." Kitamura said, handing Gekiryushi a third data card, which was colored green. "This card will take you to the Hanoi's location, and will be essential in logging you out. Once you meet my AI duelists in the network, you'll complete the tasks I assigned you to the letter. You're dismissed." He then pressed another button on his laptop, activating all three AI duelists. Each of them then logged into the network without saying anything.

Knowing that her assignment has begun, Gekiryushi ran out of SOL Headquarters and headed to one of the nearby pods, where employees of SOL Technologies can log into LINK VRAINS to get a task done. As the glass cylindrical door closed around her, she took out her deck, placed it in her Duel Disk, and said, "Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

SengokuQueen emerged from a portal as she appeared in LINK VRAINS. Or more specifically, the location where the Hanoi Stronghold was supposedly located. To her left was AI-X, AI-Y, and AI-Z.

"Each of us has a unique program that will be beneficial in your mission." AI-X told her. "For instance, I carry a thermal, electrical pulse that can shut down communications within a specific radius for a limited period of time."

"I carry a program that can prevent someone from logging out for a limited period of time." AI-Y said.

"I carry an invisibility program that lets us evade the Hanoi's security for a limited period of time." AI-Z said.

"We are ready to begin the mission at your command." AI-X stated. Before Gekiryushi could begin the assignment...

"And just like a dog, you're following your master's orders..."

SengokuQueen's eyes widened for a third time in one day upon hearing Dancho's voice behind her. Even if she was in LINK VRAINS, he _still_ continued to haunt her?

"Why...Why do you haunt me?" SengokuQueen demanded from Dancho, turning to her right to face him.

"To open your eyes and help you see the truth." Dancho answered her. "Yet, no matter what I say or do, it ends up falling on deaf ears. If you continue to be stiff-necked, it will only lead to your undoing!"

"You're wrong!" Gekiryushi told him. "AND I'll PROVE IT!"

All Dancho did was smirk. "I'd like to see you try."

"Ms. SengokuQueen?" AI-X interrupted, touching her shoulder and shocking her back into reality. When she looked around, Dancho wasn't there, haunting her. "Shall we proceed with the mission?"

"Y-Yes." SengokuQueen responded. "Let's begin." The quartet then went to the nearby wall in front of them, where SengokuQueen took out four small bugs and placed them on the wall. Once the quartet was in safe distance, SengokuQueen pressed a button on her Duel Disk, causing the bugs to cut the wall and create an entrance where they could enter into the Hanoi Stronghold.

One by one, they went through the entrance into the Hanoi Stronghold. Upon entry, SengokuQueen turned to AI-Z. "Activate your invisibility program."

"Activating invisibility program," AI-Z said, turning it and the others invisible. As they trekked around the Hanoi Stronghold and evaded its security systems, SengokuQueen couldn't help but begin to wonder how the Hanoi were able to evade SOL for this long. She shook her head, knowing that it didn't matter. Because once the mission was a success, the Hanoi would either be defeated for good, or severely crippled enough to the point where they couldn't threaten anyone.

_We're almost at the Hanoi's databank_, SengokuQueen thought, as the quartet arrived at the observation deck, where Revolver and Lord Kazuma were talking.

"He's evasive, I got to tell you." Lord Kazuma said. "No matter how many times I go through LINK VRAINS, I can't seem to find him."

"Then search again." Revolver ordered, turning away from him. "We have to find Watchman ASAP. Otherwise, father's plans for the Tower will be jeopardized."

SengokuQueen stopped walking upon hearing this. Who exactly was Watchman? And Revolver had a father? Could it be that Revolver was a figurehead while his father was the leader all along?

AI-Y motioned for her to keep going, causing her to nod and go join the others. Unfortunately, the invisibility program wore off at the worst moment, exposing her and the three AI's to Revolver and Lord Kazuma.

"Now this is interesting." Revolver said, a snicker on his face upon looking at them. "Looks like SOL Technologies decided to send their dogs to try and stop us."

"You may have gotten into the Lion's Den," Lord Kazuma added, "but there's no way you're getting out!"

"We'll see." SengokuQueen replied. She turned to AI-X. "AI-X, activate the thermal electrical pulse program."

"Activating thermal electrical pulse," AI-X said, glowing blue before unleashing a wave of bright light, pushing everyone back and shutting down communications in the Hanoi Stronghold. As a result, the power in the Hanoi Stronghold went out.

"We have to move!" SengokuQueen told the three AI's. "AI-X and AI-Y, defeat Revolver and his ally. AI-Z, you're with me."

"Acknowledged," AI-X and AI-Y said, moving towards Revolver and Lord Kazuma, while SengokuQueen and AI-Z went further into the Hanoi Stronghold.

"Damn that bounty hunter and her AI's!" Revolver growled. "We have to stop them!"

"You're not going anywhere." AI-Y told Revolver. "I activated the anti-logout program, preventing you from logging out for a limited period of time."

"It is now time for us to duel." AI-X added, both AI's activating their Duel Disks.

"Kitamura must have balls to think he can defeat us this easily." Lord Kazuma stated, as he readied his Duel Disk to face AI-X.

"He does indeed, Lord Kazuma." Revolver agreed with him, as the emergency power came online. He then readied his own Duel Disk and pointed his right index finger at AI-Y. "Prepare yourself, AI. For you'll have the pleasure of getting crushed personally by me!"

As SengokuQueen and AI-Z continued through the corridors, she turned to AI-Z and said, "Find the Hanoi's databank. I must complete my part of the assignment."

"Understood." AI-Z said, as it took a left turn upward, while SengokuQueen continued going straight.

_So the emergency power came online_, SengokuQueen thought, as she continued to run through the hallways in the Hanoi Stronghold. She had to admit: This place appeared to look like a maze. A tricky one to be exact. And one could easily get lost if they couldn't figure it out.

SengokuQueen suddenly heard footsteps, causing her to take slow steps in order to not get noticed. When she looked around the corner, she ended up seeing Rosetta, who was on the same floor she was.

_I know this woman_, SengokuQueen realized. _On the black market, she's also known as 'The Graceful Assassin'. To think that someone like her would join the Hanoi_. If SengokuQueen were to capture Rosetta and bring her to SOL Technologies, not only would a highly well-known criminal face justice, she could prove to Dancho that her crusade was right.

"Ace. Anyone." Rosetta called out into the open. "Hello. Is anyone there?"

"Looking for someone?" SengokuQueen asked, as she stepped out of the corner to face Rosetta. "I'm afraid this 'Ace' person you're talking about, as well as the rest of the Hanoi are a little occupied."

"Wait. You're that bounty hunter from Kyoto." Rosetta said, recognizing SengokuQueen.

"I do happen to have a name you know. It's SengokuQueen." SengokuQueen narrowed her eyes at Rosetta. "You're famous yourself, right Rosetta? Or do you prefer 'The Graceful Assassin'?"

Rosetta slightly gasped as SengokuQueen continued talking. "I've waited a long time for this, Miss Whatever-You-Call-Yourself. The people that you targeted during your assignments demand justice."

"Justice?" Rosetta repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

"Enough lies." SengokuQueen firmly stated. "Since I have honor, I'm willing to give you one chance to surrender peacefully."

"I don't plan on surrendering." Rosetta decided, activating her Duel Disk. "And I don't plan on doing so until I complete my mission."

"Then we duel." SengokuQueen concluded.

"Fine. Let's go."

SengokuQueen responded by activating her own Duel Disk. "To tell you the truth, I had hoped it would come to this. A duel should be the perfect chance to try out my upgraded deck. After all, if I can beat you, it means I'll be able to handle myself against Raguel and Playmaker."

"Raguel and Playmaker?" Rosetta asked. "What do they have to do with this?"

"You have no idea, don't you?" SengokuQueen replied. "No idea on what you got yourself into. But it doesn't matter, as once I defeat you, you'll pay for your crimes!"

"Not if I defeat you first!"

"Duel!" both duelists declared.

**Rosetta: 4000 LP**

**SengokuQueen: 4000 LP**

"The first turn is mine!" SengokuQueen said, looking at the cards in her hand. "I'll start by activating two Continuous-Spell cards: Six Samurai United and Shien's Dojo, along with the Field Spell card Temple of the Six." A massive temple appeared behind SengokuQueen, with the gate having the Bushido symbol. "Each time I Normal or Special Summon a 'Six Samurai' monster, I can place a Bushido counter on all three cards. Also, for every Bushido counter on Temple of the Six, all monsters you control will lose 100 attack points. I now summon Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki from my hand!" A samurai with bronze armor and high boots with yellow lines appeared on SengokuQueen's field, carrying a katana in each arm. The samurai had a bronze mask with wires on his helmet. On the samurai's back was a set of mechanical arms, which also had a katana in each hand.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

"The effects of Six Samurai United, Shien's Dojo, and Temple of the Six now activate, letting me put a Bushido counter on each of them!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 0 + 1 = 1**

**Shien's Dojo BC: 0 + 1 = 1**

**Temple of the Six BC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"Kageki's effect!" SengokuQueen continued. "When it's Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower 'Six Samurai' monster from my hand. Come to me, Kagemusha of the Six Samurai!" A samurai with dark brown armor and shin pads with yellow lines covering his entire body joined SengokuQueen's field. Unlike his brethren, this samurai's mask was a bit taller vertically, and its mask covered his face up to his eyes. Kagemusha cracked his whip, ready for battle.

**Kagemusha of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LV: 2**

"And just like before, the effects of my Continuous-Spells and Field Spell activate!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 1 + 1 = 2**

**Shien's Dojo BC: 1 + 1 = 2**

**Temple of the Six BC: 1 + 1 = 2**

"Kageki's second effect! Since I control a 'Six Samurai' monster with a different name, it gains 1500 attack points!"

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 + 1500 = 1700**

"I also activate Six Samurai United's second effect!" SengokuQueen added. "As it reached the max capacity of how many Bushido counters it can have, I will send it to the Graveyard to draw one card for each Bushido counter that was on it. There were two Bushido counters, so I get to draw two cards!" She drew the top two cards of her deck.

"Level 2 Kagemusha of the Six Samurai tunes Level 3 Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki!" SengokuQueen boldly declared. A bolt of crimson lightning struck her as the world greyed out and her two monsters disappeared into particles. Two rings, one brown and one green, appeared before turning blue and merging. Five blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "2 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to "5" as light surged through the rings.

"The legendary samurai brings fear and death to all his enemies!" SengokuQueen chanted. "Soon, your death shall strengthen his power! Synchro Summon! Emerge from the battlefield, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" A samurai with light crimson armor and golden lines covering his entire body emerged from the light and onto the right Extra Monster Zone. He had medium-sized wings with golden lines on his back. On each of his shoulders was a curved spike. His helmet had the Bushido symbol on the top, with the samurai mask having a golden outline. His eyes glowed red as he swung his katana, ready for battle.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 DEF: 1400 LV: 5**

"The effects of my Continuous-Spell and Field Spell activate!"

**Shien's Dojo BC: 2 + 1 = 3**

**Temple of the Six BC: 2 + 1 = 3**

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." SengokuQueen concluded. "You're up."

"My turn! I draw!" Rosetta said, drawing the top card of her deck. "I summon Necro Fleur from my hand!" A shriveled-up rose sprouted onto Rosetta's field.

**Necro Fleur ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"I now activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Mystical Space Typhoon, which-."

"Won't let you do anything!" SengokuQueen interrupted. "I activate Shi En's effect! Once per turn, during either of our turns, when you activate a Spell or Trap card, I can negate and destroy it! Trembling Terror!" Shi En slashed horizontally in front of him, releasing a wave of energy from his blade and destroying Mystical Space Typhoon. But all Rosetta did was smirk.

"I activate the Spell card, Fragrance Storm." Rosetta calmly continued. "I can target a Plant monster on my field and destroy it. By doing so, I get to draw a card, and if that card was a Plant monster, I get to draw a second card. I therefore target and destroy Necro Fleur!" A tornado of roses suddenly appeared and destroyed Necro Fleur, turning the flower into particles.

"I draw!" Rosetta drew the top card of her deck and looked at it. Upon looking at it, she smiled and revealed what she drew. "The card I drew was Rose Fairy, which means I get to draw another card." Rosetta then drew another card from the top of her deck.

"At this point, I use Rose Fairy's effect! Since it was added to my hand by a card effect, I get to Special Summon it!" A small fairy with rosy red eyes, pink skin and wings flew onto her field. Her hands and feet were decorated with rosy gloves and shoes. She also had a rose petal as hair.

**Rose Fairy ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LV: 3**

"Temple of the Six's effect makes all monsters you control lose 100 attack points for every Bushido counter on it." SengokuQueen reminded Rosetta. "Since there's currently three, your Rose Fairy loses 300 attack points." The symbol on Temple of the Six behind SengokuQueen started glowing, draining Rose Fairy of attack points.

**Rose Fairy ATK: 600 – 300 = 300**

"That may be a minor setback, but it's something that won't stop me." Rosetta stated. "At this point, I use the effect of Necro Fleur! Since it was destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon Sorciere De Fleur from my deck." A woman wearing botanical clothing appeared on Rosetta's field. Her clothing consisted of a thin dress with long, light-rosy sleeves. On top of her head was a giant rose colored red in the back and yellow on the front, with a portion of blue in the middle. In her left hand, she carried a scepter with a rose on the tip.

**Sorciere De Fleur ATK: 2900 DEF: 0 LV: 8**

**Sorciere De Fleur ATK: 2900 – 300 = 2600**

"Sorciere De Fleur's effect! When she's Normal or Special Summoned, I can target one monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it to my field. Serve me, Kagemusha of the Six Samurai!" At Rosetta's command, Kagemusha reappeared, only on her field.

**Kagemusha of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LV: 2**

"How dare you steal my monster!" SengokuQueen exclaimed. "It just proves how dirty you are!"

"Dirty?" Rosetta repeated. "You absolutely have no idea what I went through, don't you?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." SengokuQueen replied. "Regardless, you're part of the black market, which means I must carry out justice. And since a 'Six Samurai' monster is Normal or Special Summoned, I can activate the effects of Shien's Dojo and Temple of the Six, which now lets me place a Bushido counter on them."

**Shien's Dojo BC: 3 + 1 = 4**

**Temple of the Six BC: 3 + 1 = 4**

**Sorciere De Fleur ATK: 2600 – 100 = 2500**

**Rose Fairy ATK: 300 – 100 = 200**

**Kagemusha of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 – 400 = 0**

"I activate Dark Rose Fairy's effect from my hand." Rosetta continued, ignoring SengokuQueen's statements. "Since a Tuner monster was summoned to my field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand." A little fairy with bright blue eyes carrying a rose appeared on Rosetta's field. She wore a grey, rosy dress with black shoes. Her hair was light-green and tied into a bun.

**Dark Rose Fairy ATK: 800 DEF: 1000 LV: 2**

**Dark Rose Fairy ATK: 800 – 400 = 400**

"Level 2 Kagemusha of the Six Samurai tunes Level 2 Dark Rose Fairy and Level 3 Rose Fairy!" Rosetta declared, as a bolt of green lightning struck her. At the same time, the world greyed out, while her three monsters disappeared into particles. Three rings, one brown, one black, and one pink appeared before turning blue and merging. Seven blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "2 + 2 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to "7" as light surged through the rings.

"The cold flame engulfs the entire world!" Rosetta chanted. "Pitch-black flower, bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 7! Black Rose Dragon!" A massive, black-skinned dragon, whose entire body was covered in roses, spread out her wings and let out a shriveling roar as she was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Rosetta's field. She had a long, slender neck that was covered in roses at the back, and three mandibles that were made of roses on her head. She also had clawed draconic feet. In addition, the dragon had a long, thorned tail, along with thinner thorned tails. Black Rose Dragon's orange eyes glowed as she glared at SengokuQueen.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"Black Rose Dragon's effect activates!" Rosetta said. "When it's Synchro Summoned, every card on the field is destroyed!"

"Counter-Trap, activate!" SengokuQueen interrupted. "Musakani Magatama! If you activate a Spell or Trap card, or a monster effect that would destroy a card while I control a 'Six Samurai' monster, I can negate the activation and destroy it!" A blast of energy came out of Musakani Magatama and hit Black Rose Dragon, turning her into particles.

"In that case, I activate the Spell card, Monster Reborn." Rosetta said. "This card lets me Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard. Return, Black Rose Dragon!" On Rosetta's command, Black Rose Dragon reappeared on her field and roared at SengokuQueen, infuriated at her for what she did.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 – 400 = 2000**

"Let's battle! Sorciere De Fleur attacks your Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" Sorciere De Fleur fired a blast of energy from her rose-tipped scepter at Shi En. However...

"Trap card, activate!" SengokuQueen said. "Return of the Six Samurai! This card lets me target one 'Six Samurai' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! I choose Kageki!" At SengokuQueen's command, Kageki reappeared on her field in attack position.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3**

"The effects of Kageki, my Continuous-Spell and Field Spell activate once again. And you know what that means!"

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki ATK: 200 + 1500 = 1700**

**Shien's Dojo BC: 4 + 1 = 5**

**Temple of the Six BC: 4 + 1 = 5**

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2000 – 100 = 1900**

**Sorciere De Fleur ATK: 2500 – 100 = 2400 **

"Shi En, counterattack!" Shi En dodged the blast Sorciere De Fleur fired from her scepter and slashed her in response, turning her into particles.

**Rosetta: 4000 – 100 = 3900 LP**

Undeterred from SengokuQueen's defense, Rosetta said, "The battle still continues! Black Rose Dragon attacks Legendary Six Samurai - Kageki! Go, Black Rose Flare!" Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it at Kagemusha, destroying the warrior and causing SengokuQueen to slightly wince.

**SengokuQueen: 4000 – 200 = 3800 LP**

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Rosetta concluded. "You claim that what I do is dirty, but I do what I must to accomplish your goal."

"Your goal?" SengokuQueen inquired. "What goal leads you to side with the black market, huh? Tell me, 'Graceful Assassin'."

"Peace for myself." Rosetta bluntly answered, surprising SengokuQueen. "But I doubt you'd understand."

SengokuQueen narrowed her eyes in fury. Ever since what happened eleven years ago, all she had been doing was to get peace for her failure. And now she was getting lectured by an _assassin_, who claimed to want peace?!

No. SengokuQueen would not listen to an assassin, a killer of all people. Rosetta may be younger than her, but that didn't excuse her actions on the black market.

"My turn! I draw!" SengokuQueen said, drawing the top card of her deck. "I activate a second copy of Six Samurai United from my hand. Next, I use the effect of Shien's Dojo. By sending it from my field to my Graveyard, I can Special Summon one 'Six Samurai' monster from my deck whose level is less than or equal to the number of Bushido counters Shien's Dojo had. Come, Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan!" A samurai with dark blue armor appeared on her field. Unlike his brethren, this samurai's mask did not come with the helmet. His long black hair was on his sides, and he carried a katana in his hands.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan ATK: 1800 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"The effects of United and Temple of the Six activate!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 0 + 1 = 1**

**Temple of the Six BC: 5 + 1 = 6**

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 1900 – 100 = 1800**

"Next, I summon The Six Samurai – Zanji from my hand!" A samurai holding a naginata also appeared on her field. Zanji wore dark brown armor and shin guards with orange lines. His helmet was curved at the top.

**The Six Samurai – Zanji ATK: 1800 DEF: 1300 LV: 4**

"United and Temple of the Six's effects!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 1 + 1 = 2**

**Temple of the Six BC: 6 + 1 = 7**

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 1800 – 100 = 1700**

"I activate Six Samurai United's second effect!" SengokuQueen continued. "As it reached the max capacity of how many Bushido counters it can have, I will send it to the Graveyard to draw one card for each Bushido counter that was on it. There were two Bushido counters, so I get to draw two cards!" She drew the top two cards of her deck.

"Kizan's effect! Since I have two or more other 'Six Samurai' monsters on my field, it gains 300 attack and defense points!"

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan ATK: 1800 + 300 = 2100 DEF: 500 + 300 = 800**

"Battle!" SengokuQueen declared. "First, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En attacks Black Rose Dragon! Crimson Slash of Death!" Shi En charged forward and slashed Black Rose Dragon multiple times, destroying her in a massive explosion. Rosetta's left shoulder fizzled due to the attack.

**Rosetta: 3900 – 800 = 3100 LP**

"Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan attacks you directly!" Kizan ran forward and slashed Rosetta, but...

"I activate Rose Defender's effect from my hand!" Rosetta said. "When a monster you control attacks me directly, I'm allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand in defense position." A knight in rose-colored armor appeared on Rosetta's field in defense position. In his left hand, he carried a massive shield that was in the shape of a rose.

**Rose Defender ATK: 0 DEF: 2000 LV: 5**

"The battle still continues." SengokuQueen told Rosetta. "Kizan, resume your attack!" Kizan ran forward and struck his blade at Rose Defender, who pushed back. Unfortunately, Kizan won the struggle and slashed the knight in two, destroying it for good.

"The second effect of Rose Defender activates." Rosetta said. "If it was destroyed in battle the turn it was Special Summoned by its own effect, I'm allowed to draw one card from my deck." After saying this, she drew the top card of her deck.

"I'm not done battling yet. For I still have one more monster left to attack with." SengokuQueen reminded her. "Zanji attacks you directly!" Zanji leapt forward at Rosetta and slashed her using his naginata, causing her to take a few steps back and grunt as well.

**Rosetta: 3100 – 1800 = 1300 LP**

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." SengokuQueen concluded. "No matter what you do, you can't hide from the actions you've committed. Which brings me to one conclusion."

"And what conclusion would that be?" Rosetta demanded.

SengokuQueen closed her eyes. "You're nothing more than a destructive and vile person, who's willing to injure others in order to accomplish their goal. You claim to want peace for yourself, but based on your past and present actions, it's only fitting to say that you're also a hypocrite. And to avoid this truth, you surround yourself with similar people who encourage your actions, such as those from the Hanoi and the Black Market." She opened her eyes again and smirked. "Am I not correct, _Rosetta_?"

Rosetta's eyes widened after hearing SengokuQueen's theory. She thought about earlier, when she contemplated whether she dueled to inflict pain in order to avoid her sadness. _What if she's right_, Rosetta thought. _What if I'm as destructive and vile as she claims?_

She shook her head. The last thing she needed was for a bounty hunter to play mind games with her. Once Rosetta finished this duel, she would think things over. But first, she had to win.

"It's my turn! I draw!" Rosetta said, drawing the top card of her deck and looking at both cards in her hand. _I can use Mark of the Rose to bait out Shi En's effect_, she thought. _Once she uses her monster's effect, I can play Triple Tactics Talent to draw two cards. And if one of them is Black Garden, I can then use Ivy Shackles to turn all her monsters into Plant monsters, which will let me bring back Black Rose Dragon from my Graveyard!_

"I activate the Equip Spell card, Mark of the Rose! By banishing one Plant monster from my Graveyard, I can target one face-up monster you control and equip it with this card. Afterwards, I can then take control of it!"

"Not so fast!" SengokuQueen said. "I use Shi En's effect to negate Mark of the Rose and destroy it!" Shi En slashed horizontally in front of him, releasing a wave of energy from his blade and destroying Mark of the Rose. "You won't win by taking my monsters."

"Even for a bounty hunter, you must realize that wasn't a smart move." Rosetta stated. "After all, in activating your monster's effect, you allowed me to activate the Spell card, Triple Tactics Talent! This card lets me choose one of three effects, and I think I'll choose the first one, which lets me draw two cards from my deck." She then drew the top two cards of her deck, and upon looking at them, realized that she drew Black Garden.

"I'll also activate my Field Spell card, Black Garden!" Soon, the rest of the duel field was engulfed in thorns and roses. A statue of a faun soon emerged from the ground to the center of the duel field. "Now if either of us Normal or Special Summons a monster, except by Black Garden's effect, its attack points are halved, and a Rose token is Special Summoned to the controller's opponent's side of the field in attack position."

She then gestured to her face-down card. "Continuous-Trap, activate! Ivy Shackles! Now during each of my turns only, all monsters you control become Plant monsters." Thorns emerged from the ground on SengokuQueen's field and wrapped themselves around each of her monsters, restraining them.

"And why exactly would you do that?" SengokuQueen said, an eyebrow raised. "How exactly would-?" Her eyes suddenly widened before narrowing again. "Your Field Spell has another effect, doesn't it?"

"It most certainly does!" Rosetta confirmed. "Black Garden's second effect! By destroying this card and all Plant monsters on the field, I can Special Summon one monster whose attack points are equal or less than the total attack of those monsters."

SengokuQueen grit her teeth in fury as the thorns and roses across the duel field vanished before her three monsters wrapped in thorns were destroyed as well. _She had a backup plan in case taking control of Shi En didn't work_, she thought. _But if she dares attack with her ace monster, I'll have a way to deal with it_.

"Return to the field, Black Rose Dragon!" Rosetta commanded, as Black Rose Dragon reappeared on her field and roared at SengokuQueen.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 – 700 = 1700**

"I activate the Spell card, Rose Veil." The card showed Black Rose Dragon, Rose Paladin, and Rose Lover being coated in a rosy aura. "For the rest of this turn, monsters I control are unaffected by your card effects." As a rosy aura surrounded Black Rose Dragon, she roared and regained her strength.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 1700 + 700 = 2400**

"Battle!" Rosetta declared. "Black Rose Dragon attacks you directly! Go, Black Rose Gale!" Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it at SengokuQueen, knocking off her feet and making her land on her back.

**SengokuQueen: 3800 – 2400 = 1400 LP**

"That ends my turn." Rosetta concluded. "And since it's the end of my turn, Rose Veil's second effect kicks in. As I control a Synchro monster, I can draw one card from my deck." As Rosetta drew the top card of her deck, Black Rose Dragon's strength was once again drained.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 – 700 = 1700**

"What you did just proved my theory." SengokuQueen said, breathing heavily as she got herself up to one knee. "You're truly destructive and vile as the rumors claim." After further pushing herself to a standing position, she continued. "One cannot destire peace and be destructive at the same time. It's one or the other. And it's clear you've chosen your permanent path."

"What?!" Rosetta exclaimed, shocked at what SengokuQueen said. "That's not true. Do you really think I want to be this way?" Tears started flowing through her eyes. "Because I don't. I never asked to be the person I am right now, and I never asked to lose one of the most important people of my _life_! And yet you still judge me?! If that's the case, then you're JUST AS DIRTY AS I AM!"

SengokuQueen's eyes widened in surprise to this. She didn't expect Rosetta to say that at all. And as a result, she didn't know how to react.

_No_, SengokuQueen thought, narrowing her eyes. _Rosetta's just like the other criminals I've faced, and no matter what she says, she deserves the full extent of justice!_

_Does she though?_

SengokuQueen gasped at the voice. _Rosetta makes a valid point. She didn't ask to become the criminal you face. Just like you, she's lost someone in her life, which spurred her actions up until now. You could say she's a tragic victim of her sins._

_T-That's a lie!_ SengokuQueen thought. _I know it! I've always been right about criminals, and my beliefs have never failed me!_

_Until you lost the duel against me_, the voice of Dancho pointed out. _And ever since, you've been questioning it. How do you know it will end the way you want it to?_

"It will," she whispered. "I'll prove to you, Dancho, that my ideology is once again _right_!"

SengokuQueen grit her teeth and placed her hand on the top card of her Duel Disk. "My turn! I draw!" She drew the top card of her deck, and upon looking at it, knew she would win this turn. "Trap card, activate! Return of the Six Samurai! Just like before, this card lets me target one 'Six Samurai' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! I choose Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" Shi En reappeared on SengokuQueen's field and drew out his sword, ready for battle.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 DEF: 1400 LV: 5**

"Temple of the Six's effect!"

**Temple of the Six BC: 7 + 1 = 8**

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 1700 – 100 = 1600**

"I also activate the Equip Spell card, Fusion Sword Murasame Blade, and equip it onto Shi En!" The sword Shi En had started glowing purple as he powered up. "While this card is equipped onto a monster, it cannot be destroyed by card effects."

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 + 800 = 3300**

"It's over for you!" SengokuQueen declared. "Battle! Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En attacks Black Rose Dragon! Crimson Slash of Death!" Shi En charged forward at Black Rose Dragon, ready to cut her down for good.

"If I'm going down, I'll do it on my own terms." Rosetta said. "I activate the effect of Pulsing Roses from my hand! If I would take damage this turn, I can make it so both players take the same damage for the rest of this turn!"

"You're ending this duel in a draw?!" SengokuQueen exclaimed, as two giant red roses on the same stem briefly appeared on Rosetta's field. Shi En slashed Black Rose Dragon, destroying her in a massive explosion, which was absorbed by the giant red roses. One turned in Rosetta's direction, while the other turned in SengokuQueen's direction. After doing so, both red roses fired the explosion at them, knocking each one off their feet and causing them to land on their backs, effectively ending the duel.

**Rosetta: 1300 – 1700 = 0**

**SengokuQueen: 1400 – 1700 = 0**

The next thing both women knew, the entire Hanoi Stronghold started shaking, as though an earthquake was happening. In addition, out of nowhere, Ace fell from the top floor of the Hanoi Stronghold, and was still falling when Rosetta spotted him.

"ACE!" Rosetta screamed, his name echoing through the building. Meanwhile, SengokuQueen got up and checked her Duel Disk, which received a notification.

"Looks like AI-Z's mission was a success." SengokuQueen muttered, before taking the red data card out of her Duel Disk.

"What did you do?" Rosetta demanded.

"My mission." SengokuQueen answered. "As for you, your victims call for justice, Rosetta." Before Rosetta could make a single move, SengokuQueen threw the card at her. On contact, the card electrified Rosetta enough to knock her unconscious and make her fall to the ground.

Horrified with what she just did, SengokuQueen ran over to the unconscious Rosetta and turned her to her front before shaking her body. "Rosetta? Are you there?" _Please don't be dead_, she internally pleaded, as she continued to shake her body.

Soon, there were two more explosions from the lower floors of the Hanoi Stronghold. Using the green data card Kitamura gave her, SengokuQueen logged herself and Rosetta out of LINK VRAINS.

_Elsewhere, in the Hanoi Stronghold..._

"You pathetic AI's are not going to desecrate this place!" Revolver told AI's X and Y, as he unleashed a Data Storm at the explosions the two of them unleashed, trying to contain the blast. Seeing that it was more powerful than anticipated, Revolver put all the energy he can into the Data Storm and threw it out of the Hanoi Stronghold before releasing it, causing a massive explosion just outside. Tired by what he just did, he took a knee and slammed his fist to the ground.

"Easy, Revolver." Lord Kazuma said, kneeling to Revolver's level, a look of concern on his face. "You used up a lot of energy there." Before Revolver could respond, Ace ended up landing on the floor the other two Hanoi members were on. Based on how slowly he got up, it was clearly evident that he was seriously bruised up.

"Damn," Ace said, chuckling as he stood himself up after some effort. "If I didn't activate that program at the last minute, I probably would have been in a worse condition." Unfortunately, Ace's attempt to lighten up the situation didn't work; for Revolver got up, a mask of furious anger and wrath on his face.

"Contact Infearno and Specter!" Revolver snapped at Lord Kazuma, who paled upon seeing his expression. "SOL Technologies is going to suffer dearly for what they've done!" Upon saying that, Borreload Dragon appeared behind Revolver and roared behind its master, ready for the battle to come.

_Meanwhile, at Den Academy..._

Yuhiro was completely bored. It was the afternoon, and he was stuck in a Functions class, which he didn't want to attend. _I'd rather do anything else than this_, Yuhiro thought.

He then turned to Naoki, who was looking at something on his tablet with a panicked expression on his face.

"Shima, what exactly are you looking at?" Yuhiro whispered to him.

"Furutani." Shima replied, turning to him. "Glad to see you got my name right."

"Could you answer the question?"

Realizing that Yuhiro asked him a question, Naoki handed him his tablet. "Why tell you when I can show you instead?"

As Yuhiro looked through the news page Naoki was looking at, he clicked on something that caught his eye. Upon reading the title, his eyes widened in shock.

**SOL Technologies destroyed Hanoi's Headquarters in Deadly Attack**

_Oh no_, Yuhiro thought. _No. No. No._ This was clearly bad. Attacking the Hanoi's HQ was the last thing anyone would do in fighting them. And the fact that Kitamura was this _stupid_ in doing something like this meant things would only get worse for everyone, not just for SOL Technologies.

As if on cue, Yuhiro's phone vibrated, causing him to hand Naoki his tablet back and take his phone out his pocket.

_Get your ass over here right now_, the text from Roxy read. _Major Emergency._

"Furutani?" the teacher at the front said, getting Yuhiro's attention. "I just got a call from the principal. He said that I'm to excuse you for the day due to an emergency. But please ensure you complete the work for the beginning of next week."

"Understood." Yuhiro immediately got up, packed his things, and ran out the classroom, intent on returning to Café Matsuo.

As he ran through the hallways and reached the entrance to Den Academy, Yuhiro had a feeling that things would take a drastic turn due to Kitamura's actions. _I just hope that it doesn't escalate into a war_, Yuhiro thought, as he ran out of Den Academy and headed for Café Matsuo.

**Card Gallery**

_Rose Defender (LV: 5/Plant/Earth/ATK: 0/DEF: 2000)_

_Effect: When your opponent attacks you directly with a monster they control: You can Special Summon this card from your hand in Defense Position. If this card is destroyed by battle the turn it was Special Summoned by its own effect: You can draw 1 card from your deck. You can only use each effect of 'Rose Defender' once per turn._

_Pulsing Roses (LV: 6/Plant/Fire/ATK: 0/DEF: 0)_

_Effect: If you would take damage: You can send this card from your hand to the GY; any damage you take this turn is also inflicted to your opponent. _

_Rose Veil (Normal Spell card)_

_Effect: When this card is activated, monsters you control are unaffected by your opponent's card effects until the End Phase. During the End Phase this card was sent to the GY, if you control a Synchro Monster: You can draw 1 card from your deck. You can only activate 1 'Rose Veil' per turn._

**QOTC**

_Based on the story so far, whose viewpoint would you agree with? Rosetta's or SengokuQueen's?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 25: A Rock and a Hard Place. Following SOL Technologies' attack on the Hanoi Stronghold, Rosetta is left in an unconscious state. Upon learning of the situation with Akira, as well as who was responsible, Aoi refers to someone who can help her recover..._

**Author's Notes**

Ah, it's good to finally finish this chapter. Before I begin, I want to thank HunterHQ for helping out with the duel. I ultimately decided in a draw, for both Rosetta and SengokuQueen are strong duelists, and to have one of them lose would not be good for either of them in the story.

Here's the main reason why the chapter title is called Doubt. It's because both Rosetta and SengokuQueen are questioning what they believe in following their duels from Chapters 17 and 23. In the case of Rosetta, it's her actions, and whether or not she can truly find peace for herself. Whereas for SengokuQueen, she's questioning her crusade, as she's never looked from other people's perspectives before. I thought it'd be useful to highlight their inner conflicts not only during the chapter, but during their duel as well. That way, when the two commence their duel, it'd lead to a debate on who was right. In your opinion, who do _you_ think was right?

A couple of things before I leave you for now. First, I want to apologize for taking so long. I had intended to release it a few days earlier, but I ended up having to rewrite the duel all over again due to it not looking the way I wanted it to. Also, I was playing the Kingdom Hearts video games series, but rest assured: I am keeping a balance between it and this story.

Second, I intend to take a break from Roxy's Reports, at least until I conclude this arc. This means I'll be focusing on finishing this arc first before I unveil the next Report, which will be released before the Tower of Hanoi arc begins. I'll release a further update once I finish the Cyberse Hunt arc.

Third, I would like to make an announcement. I am planning a Yu-gi-oh! Arc V Fanfic, which, while is in development, will be released soon. Although I will leave you with some details to ensure you look forward to it:

One: Unlike other Arc V fanfics, which start in the Standard Dimension, this one will actually start in the Original Dimension, with a different OC. That's right. I said the Original Dimension.

Two: While Academia will be the main antagonist by the time we get to the Standard Dimension, there will be an even deadlier antagonist, who's stronger than Academia...

Thank you very much for your patience, as well as for reading Chapter 24 of Obscured Truth. As always, let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. In addition, constructive criticism is always welcome, as it helps make the story even better. If you know of anyone who would be interested in reading the story, don't hesitate in showing them.

Also, let me know what you think of the Arc V announcement. What are you looking forward to the most? Is there an OC you want to see in that story? A specific archetype?

Stay healthy and safe wherever you are, and see you next time!


	25. Chapter 25: A Rock and a Hard Place

**Responses to Reviews**

Thank you to HunterHQ, ZeroMK7, KingOtakuOverYou, Donjusticia, Guest, and E.T. 2000 for reviewing Chapter 24 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everyone! As always, I hope that you're safe and healthy wherever you are. I'm surprised with the reviews this time around, as this is the first time in a while that I didn't get many reviews.

Regardless, the story must go on, which is why I'll go straight to answering reviews:

HunterHQ: I had to write the beginning part at some point, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. And regarding Rosetta's situation, it does resemble Akiza's in a way. As for SengokuQueen, the events from Chapter 24 will help in her character development for the chapters to come. Finally, regarding Kitamura, he paid a top-notch hacker, which will be introduced as a minor character later in the story.

ZeroMK7: If you're wondering what deck each of the Ai's used, they used an upgraded version of the Tentacluster deck, with more floodgates and stall cards. I'll confirm with you right now: I do plan on using the Thunder Dragon archetype in my Arc V story. Stay tuned for an announcement at the end of the chapter!

KingOtakuOverYou: Thanks very much for the compliment. And Rosetta being similar to Marvel's Black Widow? Uh, not 100% sure. Regarding Ace, he's alive, although bruised up. As for why Revolver and Lord Kazuma's duels against the Ai's took so long, it's because the Ai's were the strongest out of the bunch Kitamura created, with an upgraded Tentacluster deck for each, along with floodgate and stall cards.

Donjusticia: As always, your reviews remind me of TeamFourStar's Dragon Ball Z Abridged. Allow me to answer your questions. One: Herald is the seventh Ignis, more commonly known as the White Ignis. I've originally decided to give him three attributes, but I've changed my mind to him having a portion of all six, just like the eighth Ignis. As to why, you'll have to read and find out for yourself. Two: If you recall in DSOD, when Aigami summoned the evolutions of his Cubic monsters, he had them immediately went to attack afterwards. I just followed that route to bring in suspense for the opponent Watchman was facing.

Guest: Yup. Kitamura's screwed BIG TIME.

E.T. 2000: I do plan on World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy being used in a duel. Whether it's in this season or in the future, and who will be worthy of using it, you'll have to read on and see.

It's now time for the chapter. Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 25: A Rock and a Hard Place**

_At Café Matsuo..._

By the time Yuhiro reached Café Matsuo, he was tired from running all the way there, and as a result, had to walk inside to catch his breath. He ignored the steward bot greeting him behind the counter as he headed towards the backroom, where Roxy was waiting for him.

"Glad to see you got my text." Roxy said, motioning for him to sit down in his seat. "Sit down. We have a lot to discuss regarding Kitamura's stunt."

After Yuhiro sat down in his seat and took his Duel Disk off his arm, which Herald emerged out of, Roxy clicked on a video that was on the monitor. The video showed a live news broadcast of a woman reporting in an area in LINK VRAINS.

"We're coming to you live from LINK VRAINS, where earlier today, SOL Technologies' Security Chief, Kitamura, authorized an attack on the Hanoi's Headquarters and destroyed it," a female reporter said. "Investigators are trying to scavenge anything of value from the destroyed building due to the attack. We can't confirm if there were fatalities, but it's safe to say that the Knights of Hanoi have been killed. Now, with the people demanding answers as to what really happened, all eyes are on a young woman who goes by the name 'Rosetta'. Upon being interviewed, Kitamura claimed she was a part of the Hanoi, and apparently the only living witness. He also promised to release more details in a press conference over the next few days. Stay tuned."

Roxy snorted after closing the video on the monitor and turned to Yuhiro. "You know what I hear from that news broadcast, Yuhiro? Complete bullshit."

"That's something we can both agree on." Yuhiro replied, crossing his arms. "Kitamura's saying that he destroyed the Hanoi's Headquarters in an attack, but I know that's not true for three reasons." He held up one finger. "One: The Knights of Hanoi are cunning. They'd keep their base of operations hidden from the rest of the network, and in the event it became compromised, they would have a backup plan."

"In the form of a second headquarters." Roxy finished for him.

"You going to let me continue?"

"Sorry."

Yuhiro held up a second finger. "Two: If Kitamura's claim that he succeeded is actually true, why didn't he release _all_ the details at once? He must be keeping some information to obtain more glory for that big ego of his."

"That would make some sense." Herald pointed out, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "After all, he's practically a power-hungry idiot."

Roxy burst laughing at Herald's comment. "Never change, Herald. Never change."

Yuhiro held up a third finger. "Three: Even with this setback, I have a feeling it won't be enough to stop the Knights of Hanoi. For as long as even a single Ignis exists, they'll reform and continue to terrorize LINK VRAINS."

"Yeah. Your points make perfect sense there." Roxy narrowed her eyes. "Still, I can't believe Kitamura had the balls to do something stupid like that. He has no idea of the ramifications his actions will cause!"

"And as a result, he may have created an innocent victim in Rosetta." Yuhiro concluded, looking down to the ground. _What am I going to do_, he thought. _Rosetta being injured is my fault. If I only took the Cyberse cards from her, then..._

The next thing he knew, a message appeared on the monitor, getting Yuhiro, Herald, and Roxy's attention. This was what it said:

_Come to LINK VRAINS at these coordinates below. Now._

_J38290ghaodoa0sdj3o500d_

_\- W._

"Damn." Herald said, reading the message. "I have a feeling Watchman's pissed with the situation, Yuhiro."

Yuhiro stood up and grabbed his Duel Disk, causing Herald to lose his balance. "I know. Better to deal with it now than leave it for later and make it worse."

"Yuhiro?"

Yuhiro turned around and looked at Roxy, who had her arms crossed. "Don't do anything to incur his wrath further, okay?"

He sighed as he said, "Yeah. Don't worry. I'll be careful." Yuhiro then ran to the closed-off space and closed the door. He then put his deck into his Duel Disk and said, "Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel blasted out of a portal and landed onto a rooftop in LINK VRAINS, which overlooked a good portion of the network.

"Are you certain this is it?" Herald asked him, as the two of them were looking around for any sign of Watchman.

"I know it is." Raguel answered. "After all, the coordinates are correct."

"You guys are here too?"

Raguel and Herald turned to their left, only to see Playmaker and Ai log into LINK VRAINS.

"I'm guessing you got _his_ message?"

"Yeah." Playmaker answered. Before Raguel could speak, Playmaker continued talking. "I know what happened. About SOL Technologies' attack on the Hanoi Headquarters."

"Which puts our plans in a drastic position." Watchman said, emerging from an orange gateway behind him, along with Percival and Demeter. "One we can't afford right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Raguel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It means that Kitamura's actions have escalated the situation." Demeter answered him. "To the point where the Hanoi will retaliate and cause more casualties in their plan to destroy the Cyberse."

Raguel and Playmaker's eyes widened at that answer.

"This situation could have been mitigated if you retrieved the Cyberse cards from Rosetta." Watchman stated, shocking Raguel. "And before you ask, you've forgotten that just like the Hanoi, I know everything that happens in the network." He stepped closer to Raguel. "Do you really think you can get away with an action such as this one from me?"

"Okay, I screwed up." Raguel admitted, looking at Watchman in the eyes. "And I'm willing to accept full responsibility for my mistake. But let me ask you this: If there was a chance to help someone, even if it were small, would you take it?"

"Your actions regarding helping people is small." Watchman said, turning away from Raguel. "As for me, I ensure that any action I take is for the greater good. Not a speck of sand, but the entire beach, if your mind can't comprehend what I mean."

"You didn't answer the question!" Raguel pointed out, stepping forward. He would have continued talking, but Playmaker stopped him from moving forward.

"Enough!" Playmaker told him. "We can't fight amongst ourselves. We have to figure out what to do next."

"Yeah!" Ai added, a worried expression on his face. "I don't want to see you become that fiendish monster again back in SOL Technologies' mother computer."

Raguel relented, calming down and breathing in the process. Playmaker was right. Getting angry by Watchman's statement was _not_ going to get them anywhere.

After thinking, he asked, "So what now? Do we retrieve World Gears?"

"Not directly." Watchman answered. "But in the process of investigating the matter regarding World Gears, I learned something." He then stepped away from the group to look at the network. "I learned-."

"Hold on a second!" Ai interrupted. "Are you saying that World Gears, _the_ World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy, which is the core of the Cyberse World, is still intact?!"

"It is." Percival confirmed, shocking Ai. "Although you should have saved your question until Watchman was done speaking."

"My bad."

"It could be worse." Herald pointed out. "After all, Ai does have a habit for bad timing."

"NO I DON'T!"

"Are you finished you two?" Watchman calmly asked, in a way that silenced both Ignis's. He then turned around to face the group. "I learned that a human inputted his dataprint to prevent anyone from accessing the vault except him."

"Which means that we have to locate this person before the Knights of Hanoi does." Raguel surmised.

"Precisely. And once we obtain World Gears, we'll have an advantage against the Hanoi."

"What exactly is this 'World Gears'?" Playmaker asked, his arms crossed. "And how will it help us against the Hanoi?" He raised an eyebrow at Watchman.

"Uh, hello!" Ai said, turning to Playmaker. "In case you haven't heard by my earlier rant, World Gears is the very thing that runs the Cyberse World itself!"

"So you're saying-?"

"Yeah! It's the strongest Cyberse monster in existence!"

"But I don't see how it will help us in this fight." Playmaker mused.

"You make a good point there." Watchman admitted, looking at the sky. "I confess. World Gears may not want to help us. Rather, it may want to return to the Cyberse World. But if we acquire its help, we may be able to stop the Hanoi for good."

"Is that so?" Playmaker turned around and started walking away. "Then I'll search for a match and find this man. After all, he might have more answers than _you_." He then logged out afterwards.

"Damn..." Raguel muttered, after seeing Playmaker's quick exit out of LINK VRAINS. He then turned to Watchman. "Well, I guess we're done here then." He was about to log out when Watchman spoke up.

"Raguel."

Raguel turned around and faced Watchman.

"Do not fail me again." Scowling, Raguel logged out of LINK VRAINS as Watchman sighed.

"You can't blame him for his actions, nor do you have to be mean to him about it." Demeter said to Watchman. "He can't help it. He has a heart."

"I understand that." Watchman replied, his hands behind his back as he turned to Demeter. "But we have to prepare him not only for the Hanoi, but for the Crisis to come. Not only him, but the other children from the Incident as well. Or have you come to doubt your commitment to this mission?"

"No. I have not." Demeter promised, turning away from Watchman. "I'm well aware of my commitment. It's just... there are times where I'm overwhelmed with everything going on. That's all."

Watchman stood beside her. "Aren't we all?" He then turned to Percival. "Percival."

"Yes?" Percival said.

"I want you to scare off SOL Technologies away from the Hanoi's Headquarters." Watchman told him. "I looked into the Hanoi's base of operations, and there are no members of the Knights of Hanoi there. Which makes it the perfect opportunity to salvage any information there."

"Understood." Percival ran towards the edge of the rooftop and jumped onto his duel board before speeding away on it. Watchman then opened an orange gateway in front of you.

"Shall we?" Watchman asked Demeter.

"After you." Demeter replied, as Watchman stepped into the orange gateway, with Demeter following behind him.

_Meanwhile, in one of the boardrooms at SOL Technologies..._

"To a successful operation!" Kitamura toasted, as the people there raised their glasses to join in on the toast before drinking from them.

Right now, Kitamura was celebrating the successful attack on the Hanoi's headquarters. Everything was going according to his vision. The workers at SOL are acknowledging his work as security chief, and soon, as something more. That is, if his upcoming press conference became a success.

No. Kitamura knew his press conference would become a success. And it's all because he had all the cards in his hand. He would publicly release the Hanoi's secrets to the world, exposing them for the criminals they are. Once that was done, Bishop and the others would have no choice but to praise and promote him. Even better, they might give him the second-best position in all of SOL Technologies!

Unfortunately, Kitamura's daydreams were interrupted, as an infuriated Gekiryushi kicked the boardroom door open, scaring everyone there. Even Kitamura was scared, as evident by his widened eyes.

"You!" Gekiryushi snarled, as she stepped forward and grabbed Kitamura by the collar before throwing him to the ground. "What did you do? Answer me, you piece of shit!"

"I don't know what you're-." Kitamura was about to say, but Gekiryushi grabbed him once again by the collar and slammed him to the wall.

"Don't you dare play dumb with me!" Gekiryushi warned him, pinning her arm to Kitamura's neck. "You said that the red data card would transmit and capture any person that it touched. Instead, it made Rosetta go unconscious!" She pressed her arm onto Kitamura's neck, much to the shock of everyone else there. "You lied. Which is why I'm bringing you in to the authorities!"

"You have... no right... to do so..." Kitamura sputtered out. "If you do this, I'll frame you for treason, as well as ensure that your career is over!"

Gekiryushi's eyes widened upon hearing that, causing her to release Kitamura from her grip. He took several steps away from her as he coughed, trying to get his breath back before reclaiming it.

"Do you really think I wouldn't have a contingency in place?" Kitamura smugly stated. "Believe me when I tell you, SengokuQueen. The public will only believe in those that bring the results they want. In this case, they want the Hanoi gone, which is why I'll go to great lengths to satisfy them. So that they believe in me, and no one else!" Kitamura took a few steps forward towards Gekiryushi, threatening her personal space. "Besides, who would believe you, a bounty hunter? After all, I have all the cards in my hand." Two guards then ran into the boardroom as Kitamura said, "Take her away."

The two guards then grabbed Gekiryushi and attempted to escort her out of SOL Technologies, only for her to fight back. "Wait, wait!" Curious as to what she'll say next, Kitamura motioned to the guards to stop, letting her stand up.

Looking at Kitamura, Gekiryushi said, "I know my way out." Believing her, Kitamura nodded to the guards, who let her go. She then walked out of the boardroom and out of Kitamura's sight.

"Are you okay, sir?" one of the guards asked Kitamura, as he rubbed his throat. "Should we go and arrest her?"

"No. Leave her be." Kitamura responded. "She's no longer a threat to us."

_Elsewhere, at an unknown location..._

"Ah. So that's what happened." Emon realized, as he pondered all the information Ryoken told him and the others while drinking a cup of coffee. "SOL Technologies caught us by surprise, and now you want to pay them back in full."

"Exactly." Ryoken calmly replied, his hands crossed as he looked out the window towards the ocean. After what happened, Ryoken had Takuya contact Emon and Youta for an emergency meeting, but in the _real world_. Once Emon and Youta arrived at Ryoken's house, Ryoken proceeded to tell them what went down in the Hanoi Stronghold. At first, Youta laughed him off, believing that no one foolish enough would dare attack the Hanoi head on. However, Ryoken's glare caused Youta to realize that the Hanoi leader was being serious.

Ace would have attended the meeting, but Ryoken ordered him to recover from his injuries, as he was closest to the blast before falling down several floors of the Hanoi Stronghold. If it weren't for the program, Ace would have been seriously injured. In addition, SOL Technologies managed to somehow capture and/or kill Rosetta. Which meant, to avoid detection, they had to sever all ties with her for the time being.

"Master Ryoken," Youta said, drinking from his coffee cup, "considering the situation we're in, how exactly do you plan on getting the revenge you so speak of?" He then turned to Takuya. "By the way, this coffee is magnifique."

"Why thank you." Takuya responded. "I'm glad you enjoy it."

"Gentlemen." Ryoken said, getting everyone's attention and pressing a few buttons on his Duel Disk. Soon, a holographic image of World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy came up. "We can turn the tides in our favor by taking World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy from SOL Technologies."

"But we haven't found a match to the dataprint yet." Takuya pointed out, turning to Ryoken. However, Ryoken smirked. "Wait. Unless-?"

"I contacted Athaliah and informed her of the situation." Emon stated. "When I asked her about the dataprint's progress, she hesitated before giving me an answer. Let's just say I coerced her into giving me the match."

"Emon, you sly devil." Youta said, surprised at what Emon just told them. "You've become cunning recently. Where did you pick up that trait?"

"As I said before, you never know what someone is truly capable of until the moment arrives." Emon replied, before pressing a few buttons on his Duel Disk. Soon, it showed a holographic image of an older man with gray hair and blue eyes. He wore a black suit with thin white stripes and a red tie, along with black shoes. "Everyone, allow me to introduce you to SOL Technologies' card designer, Hideki Kinoshita. He turned World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy into a card, and fearing what would happen if it were to fall into the wrong hands, locked it in a vault deep inside SOL Technologies."

"How interesting." Ryoken said, a hand on his chin. "So we know who was responsible for the vault. The question is: How do we convince him to hand us the card? He won't do so willingly."

"Which means we'll have to blackmail him!" Takuya stated, causing everyone to turn to him with eyebrows raised. "Or at least try to. Just like with Zaizen and Blue Angel."

"Takuya, I have already figured that out." Emon said, pressing a few more buttons on his Duel Disk. "After some research, I learned that Rosetta's name in the real world is Tsubaki Kinoshita, the daughter of Hideki Kinoshita."

Youta laughed. "Fate can be cruel, don't you agree Master Ryoken?"

"That's right." Ryoken agreed with Youta. He turned to Emon. "Emon, considering how you have the information, I am giving you the chance to redeem yourself."

"And I'm guessing you're tasking me with retrieving World Gears?"

"Correct." Ryoken confirmed. "Succeed, and I'll forgive your past failures. If Raguel or Playmaker try to intervene, you have my permission to eliminate them and their Ignis's."

Emon gave a slight bow. "Thank you, Ryoken. I will get started immediately." He then headed downstairs and towards the exit of the Kogami household, out of everyone's sight.

"Master Ryoken, are you sure about this?" Youta asked, getting Ryoken's attention. "If Emon somehow defeats Playmaker and deletes his Ignis, you won't get the chance of settling the score with him. Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"For the Hanoi to succeed with their mission, I am." Ryoken answered. He looked down to the floor. "Although I suspect Playmaker won't be the one who gets involved with this situation."

_On the way to the Den City Hospital..._

Hideki Kinoshita sighed as he looked out the window in his limo, which was on the way to the Den City Hospital. After six years, he could finally see his daughter, Tsubaki again. However, he didn't expect the circumstances to be like this. Nor did he want them.

Earlier today, he received a call from Akira, who informed him about the situation. When he learned that Tsubaki was Rosetta and wounded up in the Den City Hospital, it took him a full minute to register what happened. He immediately then called his driver, who proceeded to drive him over to the Den City Hospital.

_My little rose_, Hideki thought, thinking of Tsubaki. _Please fight to live. So I can make things right after all these years._

However, his thoughts were interrupted, as his phone started vibrating. Upon taking it out of his pocket, Hideki raised an eyebrow, for the Caller ID read 'Unknown'. Regardless, he accepted the call.

"This is Hideki Kinoshita speaking."

"Hello, Mr. Kinoshita," a scrambled voice replied. "My name is Infearno, and I am one of the remaining Knights of Hanoi."

Hideki's face paled. "I thought... that Kitamura wiped you out."

"Oh but he failed." Infearno told him. "We're still active, and I can assure you now that an attack from an incompetent fool like Kitamura won't stop us. But let's get to why I'm calling you. I like to inform you that I have made a program which can save your daughter's life."

Hideki's eyes widened upon hearing that. "You have? You can save my daughter?"

"For a price." Infearno confirmed. "I want you to give us World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy."

"No." Hideki instantly replied. "There's no way that I'm-!"

"Are you saying you don't care about your daughter's life?" Infearno asked Hideki, interrupting him. "You prefer the safety of everyone over the one person that's most precious to you?" Hideki wasn't sure if he was hearing things, but he swore he heard Infearno smirk on the other end. "If I were you, I'd think over the offer. After all, a chance like this comes once in a lifetime. But if you do change your mind, you're more than happy to call me back." And with that, Infearno hung up.

_What will I do_, Hideki thought, putting his head in his arms. _If I hand over World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy to the Hanoi, I'll be blamed for the danger that's to come. But if I don't... I may lose my little rose forever_. He was so busy with his thoughts that he didn't notice the limo stop. "What's going on?"

"Sir," the driver said, getting Hideki's attention. "We've arrived." The limo driver then got out of the car and opened the door for Hideki, letting him exit out of the car. Unfortunately, there was a group of reporters who were there as well.

"Mr. Kinoshita," a female reporter said, "would you care to comment?"

"No comment." Hideki replied, walking his way forward to the entrance of the Den City Hospital.

"Do you know the victim, Mr. Kinoshita?" a male reporter asked.

"No comment." Hideki answered, entering the Den City Hospital. He made it straight to the receptionist's desk. "Which room is my daughter in?"

"Room 5E." the receptionist answered. "If you turn to your left here and head to the trauma wing, you'll find it in no time." After hearing this, Hideki then turned left and walked towards the trauma wing.

Once he made it there, he saw one person whom he recognized. Akira, and beside him was Aoi.

"Akira!" Hideki called out, causing Akira to turn to his left and recognize him. "Thank you so much for telling me what happened. You're one of the only people at SOL that I can trust." He extended his right hand out.

"You're welcome. After all, I almost lost Aoi to the Hanoi." Akira responded, shaking Hideki's hand. "I don't want anyone else to experience what I went through."

Soon, a doctor and a nurse exited Room 5E, turning to Hideki.

"Doctor. Nurse." Hideki said, running to them. "Will my daughter pull through?"

"I-I think it would be best if we talked inside," the doctor replied, as the trio went inside Tsubaki's hospital room. "It's a complete mystery. Physically speaking, she's in perfect health. It's like I told Mr. Zaizen outside. I believe she's like this because of some trauma. Whether it's emotional or psychological trauma, we don't know yet."

"T-Trauma?" Hideki repeated, shocked at what he just heard. He turned to Tsubaki, who was resting on her bed. "Tsubaki, my little rose. I'm so sorry for abandoning you when you needed me most. Please come back to me." He started crying afterwards as the nurse put a hand on his shoulder, while the doctor went to get a chair so he could sit down.

"That poor girl." Aoi said, as she looked at the conversation through the glass window. She turned to Akira. "We've got to help her."

"I know, Aoi." Akira replied. "All of this is a shock for me as well. To think that Kitamura would pull an idiotic stunt like that and cause harm to Hideki's daughter? He's lucky that not all the information has been released to the public." He grit his teeth, as he recalled something that happened an hour earlier. Before he arrived at the Den City Hospital.

_Flashback: One hour earlier..._

"Mr. Zaizen is a busy man," a woman with wavy brown hair and green eyes said, as she tried to stop Gekiryushi from entering. "You have to-."

"Get out of my way." Gekiryushi warned the woman. "This matter is urgent."

Seeing that he had a visitor, Akira looked up from his laptop and towards the woman. "Thank you, Hayami. Please leave us."

"Mr. Zaizen, are you sure?" Hayami asked him.

"I'm sure." Akira confirmed. After hearing his reply, Hayami left the room, still uncertain about leaving him with Gekiryushi. He then turned his attention to Gekiryushi. "So, you said this matter was urgent, Ms. Sanada. What is it?"

"I came... to confess." Gekiryushi said, handing him a USB stick. Raising an eyebrow, Akira put the USB stick into his laptop, which upon doing so, showed him several files.

"What is this?"

"These are files regarding Kitamura's attack on the Hanoi's Headquarters." Gekiryushi explained, causing Akira's face to widen in horror.

"Did he-?" Akira was about to ask, but Gekiryushi nodded her head before he could finish. He grit his teeth. Due to Kitamura's idiocy, now everyone was in danger. "I didn't believe it at first, but now that I've seen this, I believe it now." He then looked up from his laptop. "What do you mean by 'confess'?"

"Would you mind if I grabbed a chair?" Gekiryushi asked, to which Akira nodded. After grabbing a chair, she proceeded to explain her role in the attack. How she was assigned to capture one of the Hanoi members at the Hanoi Stronghold. And upon using the red data card, she ended up making a person named Rosetta go unconscious. In other words, Gekiryushi made her a victim of the attack.

"I tried to confront Kitamura about it and bring him in to the authorities." Gekiryushi continued. "But he threatened to charge me with treason and end my career if I did. And he said that no one would believe me, a bounty hunter." She laughed to herself. "I thought I had honor, but after what I just did, I don't think I can call myself an honorable person anymore."

"I see." Akira thought over what Gekiryushi told him. "Thank you for telling me this. Although I'm not sure what I can do in this situation."

Gekiryushi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? You've been a more successful Security Chief than Kitamura ever will be. There's got to be something you can do, right?"

Akira double-checked the files on the USB, and upon going through them a second time, he narrowed his eyes. He then did a cross-reference on Rosetta's real-life identity, and within seconds, he found a match, causing his eyes to widen in surprise.

"What is it?" Gekiryushi asked, curious.

Akira stood up, having now determined what to do. "You're right. There is something I can do about this situation. Please return home for now. I'll take care of it to the best of my abilities."

Gekiryushi stood up as well, happy to hear Akira's response. "Thank you. Please let me know if you need anything else."

"I will." And with that, Gekiryushi left Akira's office. Akira then pulled out his phone and called Hideki.

"Hello?" Hideki said on the other end.

"Hello, Hideki." Akira replied. "There's something important I need to tell you. It's... about your daughter."

_Flashback End: Present day..._

"From what I heard on the news, she was a part of the Hanoi, yes?" Aoi asked Akira, getting his attention.

"If I can be honest, Aoi, I'm not so sure anymore." Akira admitted, turning to her. "She could have either willingly agreed to work with them, or was blackmailed into joining. Either way, she doesn't deserve to end up on a hospital bed."

"Yeah..." Aoi agreed, looking down onto the floor. _I could reach out to Playmaker as Blue Angel and ask for his help,_ she thought. _But I don't know if he'll respond or not._ Her eyes then widened in realization.

"Unless _he_ might help her..." Aoi theorized, remembering how Yuhiro played a part in helping her when she needed it. She then entered Tsubaki's hospital room and approached Hideki. "I'm Aoi Zaizen, and I think I might know somebody who might be able to help your daughter wake up after all."

Hideki turned to Aoi, surprised at what she just said. "Please tell me!"

Taking a deep breath, Aoi said, "His name is Yuhiro Furutani, and Akira and I can take you to him."

_Meanwhile, at Café Matsuo, in the living room... _

"Well, this could take a while." Roxy said, who was on her laptop and sitting down on the couch.

"That is something we can both agree on." Yuhiro replied, who was on the couch with Progleo opposite to her as he typed a series of code into his laptop. After getting back from LINK VRAINS, Yuhiro proceeded to tell Roxy of what happened. How, just like Herald and Roxy predicted, Watchman was pissed with what happened. He then proceeded to tell both Yuhiro and Yusaku something interesting about World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy: a human inputted their dataprint before locking the card into a vault. That way, no one except him or her would be able to access it.

Which meant that Yuhiro and Yusaku would have to run a scan across all of Den City in order to find a match for the dataprint. And unfortunately, Roxy had to update the scanner on the monitor, which meant they had to do it by hand on their laptops. While Yusaku and Kusanagi were able to do it on the monitor.

"You know that old story about the Tortoise and the Hare?" Roxy asked.

"Yeah?"

"Well, Fujiki and Kusanagi are the Hares, while we're the Tortoises!" She ran her hands through her long dark, curly hair. "Honestly, Yuhiro. This one's on me. If I only remembered to update the scanner portion of the monitor, we'd have results by now."

"Well, it's a lesson learned for next time." Herald said, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "If you like, I could enhance your laptops." Roxy narrowed her eyes at Herald, causing him to retreat back into Yuhiro's Duel Disk in fear. "Or maybe not. No need to screw around with technology as it is."

"Herald, come on out." Yuhiro told the Ignis as he reappeared. "It's not a bad idea, Roxy. After all, who knows when we need to do things _very_ quickly? Besides-."

DING!

"Customers here at this time?" Roxy said, an eyebrow raised as she turned her head towards the sound. "They usually come here for lunch. But to come here for dinner, well, it doesn't happen as much as the afternoon. I'll get it." She proceeded to stand up, but Yuhiro did it first.

"No. I will," he said. "You're right. Customers coming here for dinner doesn't happen all the time. Which is why I'll go with Progleo."

"And if it's a meanie, I'll tear them to shreds!" Progleo promised, jumping off the couch.

"I highly doubt that, Progleo." Herald said. "If anything, you'll try to use your cute begging eyes." He then turned to Yuhiro. "Can I come downstairs with you?"

"No," both Roxy and Yuhiro replied, causing Herald to sigh in defeat.

Yuhiro then headed downstairs to Café Matsuo with Progleo and grabbed his apron. As the two of them headed to the counter, Yuhiro grabbed a pen and paper. _With everything going on, it's not usual for someone to be ordering from here. They'd usually be here during the daytime_, he nervously thought. He walked closer to the counter, ready to take the customer's order, as well as allow Progleo to defend their home if needed...

... But it turned out to just be the Zaizens, as evident by Progleo's happy bark upon seeing Aoi.

"You guys gave me a scare." Yuhiro said, picking up Progleo and preventing him from running out the door to see them. "We don't usually get customers at this time. Anyhow, what can I get you both?"

"Well..." Aoi said, turning her gaze downwardly left, as though she were ashamed. "We're not necessarily here to eat..."

Yuhiro raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand. What do you-?"

"Listen, Furutani." Akira interrupted. "Aoi told me and a friend of mine everything, including who you _really_ are. But I assure you it's for the right reason. Nothing else."

A look of shock was registered on Yuhiro's face as Progleo started barking at Aoi and Akira. He turned to Aoi, who was clearly ashamed, and said, "How... could you-?"

"PLEASE!" Hideki said out of nowhere, pushing his way between Aoi and Akira so he could get to the counter. "Don't blame her. It's my fault. My daughter is in the hospital because of the altercation between SOL Technologies and the Hanoi, and this young lady said you can save her life!"

The look of shock was instantly wiped away from Yuhiro's face upon Hideki mentioning the Hanoi. How could this man know about the Hanoi? And did he just mention a daughter? Wait...

"What's going on down there, Yuhiro?" Roxy shouted from the second floor.

"Uh, Roxy?" Yuhiro said, stroking Progleo's fur to calm him down. "I think we got guests."

_A few minutes later, in the kitchen..._

"Here," Roxy said, handing Hideki a cup of tea. "This Herbal tea will relieve you of stress."

"Thank you." Hideki replied, drinking the tea. He sat in the opposite chair at the kitchen table, where he could face Yuhiro, with Aoi sitting one chair away from him and Akira leaning on a nearby wall. Progleo was nearby Yuhiro, still cautious around Aoi. "I'd like to thank you for taking the time to see me Mr. Furutani. I'm here because... I need you to save my daughter Tsubaki."

"So you're Rosetta's father, Hideki Kinoshita. Also known as the head card designer at SOL Technologies." Yuhiro replied. "You do realize that, in knowing my identity as Raguel, you put yourself in harm's way if the Hanoi comes after you, right?"

"I know." Hideki admitted, looking down at the table. "But I'm trying to make things right!" Yuhiro's eyes widened upon hearing that. "She's in the hospital suffering and I couldn't save her! It's my fault! I left her when she needed me most, and as a result, I never saw her again until today! That's why I'm here."

"Now before we agree to help you," Roxy interrupted, causing Hideki to turn to her, "how about you tell us the whole story from the beginning? And not just you..." She turned to glare at Akira and Aoi. "...but the others as well."

Hideki sighed. "Okay then. I've never been someone you might call 'Father of the Year'. I... As you already know, I'm the head card designer at SOL Technologies. Not only did that job come with a lot of responsibilities, but it got me involved with a secret project. And as a result, I forgot what mattered."

_Flashback: Six years earlier..._

"_It all began six years ago, when my wife, and Tsubaki's mother died because of cancer. It was hard for all of us, but little did I realize that it would be the beginning of our troubles."_

Hideki was in a limo with two other men, which was on the way towards SOL Technologies. A new project was announced recently, and his presence was required today in the making of this new card. While he didn't know much about it, he did know the card's name: World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy. Sadly, today was also the funeral. A chance for both him and Tsubaki to say goodbye to a loving mother and wife.

Hideki leaned towards the driver seat so he could speak to the driver. "Hey driver. I need to stop and pick up some white flowers for a funeral I need to attend today."

"I'm terribly sorry, sir," the driver said, "but your presence at SOL Technologies is mandatory. If you don't show up, you could get reprimanded." Before the driver could continue, Hideki's phone rang. Picking it up and learning that Tsubaki was calling him, he sighed and answered it.

"Hey dad." Tsubaki said on the other end. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, sweetie." Hideki answered. "What about you? How are you handling things?"

"I...I really miss mom." Tsubaki replied, fighting a sniffle. "You'll be there, right? At the funeral? So we could say goodbye to her?"

Hideki sighed sadly and said, "Of course, sweetie. I will show up." As soon as he hung up, he gritted his teeth. How could he face her now?

"_The project, called World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy, took the whole day. Which meant I couldn't be there for Tsubaki when she needed me."_

By the time he arrived home, it was already late. When Hideki knocked on the door, Tsubaki's grandmother answered it. "Mom, I-."

"You missed the funeral." Tsubaki's grandmother firmly told him, as he went upstairs to the living room. "She didn't eat her food, nor did she talk with her relatives." Hideki soon saw Tsubaki on the couch, her head folded into her lap. When she looked up at him, there were fresh tears coming from her eyes, indicating that she had been crying.

Hideki went over and sat down beside her. "I'm so sorry. I'll make it up to you, I promise." Tsubaki then hugged him, crying in his lap. Knowing that everything was okay for now, he hugged her back.

"_I did my best to make it up to her by being there when she needed a listening ear. Unfortunately, no matter what I did, I only made things worse."_

As the days went by, Hideki made sure he was available for Tsubaki to call him whenever she needed someone to talk to. At first, things went well. The relationship between father and daughter wasn't strained, but instead reinforced by his promise.

But despite what he did, fate had _other_ plans in place for them. And it all started one day, during summer break.

"There you are, dad." Tsubaki said, running down the stairs to greet Hideki, who was speaking with an employee from SOL Technologies. The two of them started talking about going to Iceland, which was the place where Hideki met and fell in love with Tsubaki's mother. From there, they started making plans on going to different travel spots in Iceland, starting with seeing the geysers. To conclude the trip, they planned on spreading the ashes at Greenland sea. "Do you think we can continue planning our trip? I'm so excited about-!"

"I wish I could." Hideki said, much to Tsubaki's dismay. "But I'm afraid I'll be busy with an important project at SOL Technologies for a while. We might have to delay our trip."

"Please sir, we need to leave now," the employee said behind Hideki.

"No!" Tsubaki responded, tears flowing through her eyes. "First, it was Cousin Candace, then it was Uncle Phineas, and now you're just going to run off to your job like them? You said you'd be there for me, and now you're breaking your promise!"

"Tsubaki, I know-."

"Don't ever come back!" Tsubaki shouted while looking at him. She then ran upstairs to her room in sadness.

"_I was doing important work. But how do you explain that to someone who recently lost their mother? As the months passed, I saw her less and less. I thought I could make up for lost time by planning the trip to Iceland with her as promised, which seemed to have her rekindle her faith in me. But the day before we left... our relationship reached a tipping point."_

A few months passed since the altercation between Tsubaki and Hideki. The two of them were at home eating dinner, having bought plane tickets to Iceland and finalized the trip. Having faith in his team, Hideki took a two week break so he could arrange the trip with Tsubaki to make up for his mistake. And to his surprise and joy, she was happy with the announcement. Now both of them could finally honour the person they cared about.

Yet for a _second_ time, fate would drive them further apart.

"What are you excited about for the trip, dad?" Rosetta asked, as she took a bite out of her steak. "I'm definitely excited to see the Aurora Lights. Do you think they'll appear when we're there?"

"I'm sure they will." Hideki answered, chuckling as he sipped down some water from his glass. "And to answer your question-." His phone started vibrating. "Please excuse me, sweetheart." He then went into the living room and answered the phone. "Yes?"

"Good evening, Mr. Kinoshita," the voice of Queen said on the other phone, surprising Hideki.

"Queen, I didn't expect your call this evening. How may I help you?"

"Well, Mr. Kinoshita. I request an update on World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy's creation as a Duel Monsters card."

Hideki cleared his throat before speaking. "Regarding the update, my team has finalized the card's effects and Link Markers, as well as cleared it from all bugs. It should be ready for a public release."

"I see." Queen responded. "Then you wouldn't mind me coming over in person for a final test run, right?"

Hideki's face paled. This was the last thing he wanted right now. He and his whole team put in time and effort towards creating World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy, and it passed all tests. Now Queen was coming in person for a final test run? Great.

He sighed and gritted his teeth in anger. As much as he hated it, orders were orders.

"Mr. Kinoshita?" Queen said. "Are you there?"

"Of course." Hideki replied. "The team and I will be there tomorrow for the final test run."

"Excellent." Queen was pleased with Hideki's answer. "Then I'll see you tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 pm." With that, Queen hung up.

When Hideki returned to the dining room, he saw that Tsubaki had finished her food.

"Hey, dad." Tsubaki said, looking up to see him. "Who was on the phone with you? Was it SOL Technologies?"

"I'm afraid so." Hideki replied, walking over and sitting down at his chair. "There's something I need to tell you, my little rose. Please don't get mad." He then proceeded to tell her about the phone call he got from Queen, one of the higher-ups at SOL Technologies. She had requested his presence tomorrow for a final test run on World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy. Which meant that the trip would be delayed once again.

"So... So you're saying that the trip's delayed again?" Tsubaki asked, now on the verge of tears.

"Only for now." Hideki tried to reassure her. "I promise. I'll rebook it at-."

"So you're choosing your work on some stupid Cyberse project over your daughter?!" Tsubaki shouted, standing up, tears evident on her face. "Enough with your empty promises! I'm done with them, I'm done with being left alone, and I'M DONE WITH THIS NEVER-ENDING PAIN!" She then ran to her room.

"Tsubaki!" Hideki ran after her, but it was too late. She slammed and locked the door in his face. As he sighed, he thought, _Maybe she needs some time alone to process all of this._ He then went downstairs to the living room and sat down on the couch.

_Flashback End: Present Day..._

"By Fate's cruel hand, our relationship became more strained than ever." Hideki recalled, slamming his fists on the table. "When I went to check in on her a couple of hours later, I learned that she ran away after reading the note she left behind. I realized then that my actions pushed my daughter away, and so I called the police on finding her. But they couldn't, and for six long years, I was haunted with the thought that I lost Tsubaki forever. That is, until today, where I saw her in that hospital bed." He then looked at Yuhiro. "Aoi Zaizen said that you helped her when she needed it. Now I ask that you help my daughter. She needs you."

"I know, but-." Yuhiro couldn't finish his sentence upon looking into Hideki's eyes. Ones that were begging, pleading with him to help Tsubaki. What could he say? I'm sorry, I can't help you?

"For goodness sake, Yuhiro." Roxy said, her hands on her hips. "You can't turn your back on this poor girl. This man is practically begging for your help."

"Even if I wanted to Roxy," Yuhiro began, "I don't even know where to-."

The next thing Yuhiro knew, Roxy went over to where he was and pulled on his ear. "My niece would be ashamed of you, Yuhiro. If I taught you _one_ thing, it's to help those in need. In addition, if we know anything about the Hanoi, they will come back, and you'll need everyone's help in defeating them."

Yuhiro smiled and nodded at Roxy. "As always, your pep talks do the trick, Roxy."

"Then you'll help? Thank you!" Hideki said, standing up in joy.

"And once this is all over," Roxy added, "maybe you'll take her on a date!"

Yuhiro's jaw dropped.

"I'm just saying if you two had some sort of connection..."

"Really, Roxy? You're teasing me NOW of all times?!" Yuhiro replied, groaning. First, she teased him about Miyu being his future girlfriend, and now she was shipping him with Tsubaki? When will it end?

Aoi started laughing, as well as Akira. "Furutani would definitely make a great boyfriend." Yuhiro groaned once again as Hideki and Roxy joined in, much to his displeasure.

_A few minutes later, at Café Matsuo's backroom..._

"So this is what Roxy and I know about the recent attack." Yuhiro said, showing everyone the files on SOL Technologies' attack on the Hanoi. He turned to Akira and Aoi. "And just so we're clear, you two aren't to tell anyone about my identity, nor about the backroom, okay? Cause you clearly gave the both of us a shock."

Aoi nodded. "Your identity's safe with us, Furutani. We won't tell a single soul."

Roxy turned around on her chair. "What we don't know is who Kitamura sent for the attack."

"I can answer that." Akira said. "Kitamura sent SengokuQueen and his three strongest AI Duelists for the mission." He handed Roxy a USB stick. "Right after the mission, SengokuQueen came to me with this USB stick, which contained all of Kitamura's plans regarding before and after the attack. He also threatened to charge SengokuQueen with treason and end her career if she told anyone about the true nature of the mission."

Roxy put the USB stick into one of the USB slots on the monitor, causing a bunch of files to show on the screen. Upon looking through them, Roxy's mouth dropped momentarily before she closed it.

"That son of a bitch..." Roxy muttered. "He used SengokuQueen and put Rosetta in the hospital just to advance himself? Oh, he's so dead!"

"Language, Roxy." Yuhiro told her. "After all, Progleo's a young cub, and we're not teaching him potty words."

"But how will we draw Kitamura out into the open?" Hideki inquired, a hand on his chin. "We can't threaten him to show up. Otherwise, he'll use SOL Technologies' resources to stop us."

"Simple." Yuhiro answered, turning to Hideki. "I contact him with an offer he can't refuse. An Ignis."

"WHAT?!" Herald said, emerging out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk, surprising Hideki. "There is no way you're selling me to the _worst_ security chief in the history of security chiefs! I won't allow it!"

"Use your common sense, Herald." Yuhiro advised the Ignis, turning to him. "I'm only temporarily using you as bait. Do you really expect me to just, oh I don't know, give you away?"

Herald facepalmed. "Damn. Can't believe I fell right for that."

"Once Yuhiro contacts Kitamura and he arrives in LINK VRAINS," Roxy said, "he'll use his Duel Anchor to force him into a duel and rip him a new one. And then we save Rosetta!"

"Wait." Akira said, getting everyone's attention. "Let me be the one to duel Kitamura."

Roxy raised an eyebrow. "You sure? If your bosses find out..."

"I've been waiting a long time to teach Kitamura a lesson, and this is an opportunity I cannot pass." Akira responded. "He must face justice for his idiocy, and while I know he won't get fired, I can at least have him reprimanded for his actions."

Yuhiro nodded in agreement. "Alright, Zaizen. I trust you. Would you like me to whip up a Duel Anchor program for you then?"

"I'll contact SengokuQueen for that." Akira answered. "After all, she wants to rectify her mistake, and will help me in any way she can to do so. I'll need a least ten minutes." He then walked out of the room and contacted SengokuQueen on his phone.

"In that case, I'll make some sandwiches for everyone." Roxy stood up and walked out of the room with Progleo, who was eager for a meal. Hideki followed after her, also hungry with everything going on, leaving Aoi and Yuhiro alone in the backroom.

"Um, Furutani?" Aoi said, sitting down on Roxy's chair and facing him. "I want to say I'm sorry for revealing your identity like that to Mr. Kinoshita. He really needed someone to help him save Rosetta, and I only told him because-."

"I get it." Yuhiro replied, interrupting Aoi. "Based on what you know about me and past events, it was only logical for you to tell him. After all..." He turned to face Aoi. "I tried to help Rosetta during our duel, and managed to reach out to her for a moment, only for someone named Ace to arrive and help her escape with the Cyberse cards."

Aoi raised an eyebrow. "Cyberse cards?"

"I'll tell you later." Yuhiro turned back to the monitor. "But regrading what you did, I forgive you, Zaizen. You had good intentions, and nothing else."

"I see." Aoi got up from the chair and was about to leave the backroom when she turned back hesitantly to Yuhiro. "Furutani, are we friends? I know it's not the best time to ask, but-."

"...Yuhiro." Aoi blinked as Yuhiro turned his chair to face her, a smile on his face. "Call me Yuhiro. And yeah, we're friends."

A silence filled the air as Aoi processed the information. She then smiled back. "In that case, call me Aoi. And thank you. For not only forgiving me, but for also seeing me as a friend." She then walked out of the backroom, satisfied with the conversation.

"You sure this plan will work?" Herald asked.

"I am, Herald." Yuhiro answered. "Lets get this son of a bitch!"

_Meanwhile, at SOL Headquarters... _

Kitamura rubbed his throat with his hand as he worked on his laptop. There hadn't been any reports from the security team recently, which meant the attack was a success. The likelihood of the Hanoi retaliating had gone down to zero due to him deciding to take initiative and destroy the Hanoi Stronghold.

This had given Kitamura time to finalize the information he would be releasing to the press within a few days. Once that was done, fame and fortune would be his.

Everything was normal. The way it should be.

"Sir!" one of the operators said. "Something's just happened!"

Kitamura rolled his eyes. "What is it? I'm sure it's probably nothing."

"It's a message to you, sir."

"Delete it. I'm sure it's nothing more than spam mail." Kitamura groaned. While everything being normal was good, it also meant there was no action to take, causing him to get bored.

"Uh, sir?" The operator turned to Kitamura. "It's from Raguel, and he said if you don't respond, he'll screw around with the mother computer's security systems..." His face widened into shock. "...AND STEAL EVERYTHING THERE!"

Kitamura's face paled. He stood up and shouted, "PULL HIM THROUGH!" The operator typed in a few commands, and soon, a live video of Raguel appeared at the front. "How dare you blackmail SOL Technologies, Raguel! You'll face the full arm of-!"

"Yeah, blah blah blah." Raguel replied. "Can we just skip to the part of why I wish to speak to you?"

"Fine. What do you want?"

"Kitamura, I've come to bargain." Raguel stated. Kitamura raised an eyebrow at what Raguel just said. "Oh, I'm sorry. You want more details? Look at your laptop." Kitamura looked at his laptop, which showed him a set of coordinates. "These coordinates will take you to a location in LINK VRAINS, where we can talk business. Come alone, or else you'll lose the one chance to make your bosses happy." Raguel then signed off, leaving everyone speechless for several moments.

"Uh sir?" a female operator said. "What will you do?"

Kitamura snapped out of his daze. "I, uh, will confront Raguel alone, just like he requested. AND IF ANY OF YOU INTERFERE, YOU'RE FIRED!" He then ran out of SOL Headquarters and headed to one of the nearby pods. As the glass cylindrical door closed around him, he said, "Into the VRAINS!"

_At Café Matsuo, in the backroom..._

"Do you really think this plan will work?" Aoi asked Roxy, who was sitting beside her.

"If I know Yuhiro, I'm sure he has it all figured out." Roxy answered, her arms crossed as she looked at Raguel on the monitor, who was on top of a building in LINK VRAINS.

"It has to." Hideki said, standing behind them and looking at the monitor. "For my daughter's sake, it must." Suddenly, there was a notification on the monitor, indicating that Kitamura logged into the network.

"The bird has landed." Roxy told Raguel. "I repeat: The bird has landed."

_In LINK VRAINS..._

"Loud and clear." Raguel confirmed. "Wish me luck." He then stepped out of the corner so Kitamura could see him. At first, Kitamura was shocked at seeing Raguel in the flesh, but then quickly regained his ground.

"You wanted to see me? Well, here I am." Kitamura said. "Now spill the details, or else you'll face the full arm of-!"

"Kitamura, I've come to bargain." Raguel stated for a second time, causing him to fall over in shock.

"Stop saying that!" Kitamura told him, as he got up, exasperated already. "What do you want?"

"Simple." Raguel replied. "You have something that can help save Rosetta's life. And don't even bother lying, or else you're screwed."

Kitamura narrowed his eyes. How did Raguel figure out what he did? "Let's say you're correct, Raguel. You don't have anything to offer me." He then turned his back on Raguel and started walking away. "So I guess this conversation is-."

"Then how about an Ignis like me?" Herald asked, emerging out of Raguel's Duel Disk. "I bet you can't resist an opportunity like this, can you?"

Kitamura immediately turned around at what he just heard. Raguel was willing to give his Ignis up? Just like that? "You're willing to give me your Ignis? I must say, Raguel. I knew you'd eventually make the-."

But before Kitamura could finish, the building they were on started shaking. A dot appeared in the middle before creating a circle that surrounded them. Lines then went into the circle in patterns until they finished, resembling the Bushido symbol.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Raguel sarcastically apologized, shrugging his shoulders. "I just interrupted your moment, didn't I? My mistake."

"What's going on? What have you done?" Kitamura demanded.

"Hello, Kitamura," the voice of SengokuQueen said out of nowhere, shocking him as she and Akira revealed themselves on Kitamura's left side.

"You two!" he snarled, turning his head to face SengokuQueen and Akira. "You dare turn on SOL Technologies' security chief? Once this little stunt is over, I'll-!"

Suddenly, a magenta cord shot out from Akira's wrist and wrapped itself around Kitamura's left arm, surprising him.

"Zaizen, what is this?" Kitamura demanded.

"It's called a Duel Anchor." Akira explained. "Which I had SengokuQueen make for me. I'll have you know that it prevents you from logging out unless we duel." Kitamura's eyes narrowed in anger upon hearing that.

"But considering what you've done, I say we make our duel interesting." Akira continued, as he walked to where Raguel was. "If I win this duel, not only will you provide us with the means to save Rosetta's life, you'll publicly take full responsibility for your mistakes."

"And if I win?"

"Not only will you get Raguel's Ignis," Akira said, "but I'll resign from my current position at SOL Technologies, and never apply there again."

Kitamura started thinking it over. Right now, he was trapped, so he couldn't log out. Furthermore, Akira had the guts, no, the balls to challenge him to a duel, who was clearly his superior.

However, he saw a golden opportunity. He could finally kick Akira out of SOL Technologies for good, and get more recognition and fame for bringing in Raguel's Ignis to the higher-ups.

Perhaps this situation turned out to be good after all.

"Very well, I accept your terms." Kitamura decided, raising his left arm.

"Good to see you're being negotiable." Akira replied, also raising his left arm.

Raguel walked over to where SengokuQueen was. "Zaizen said you had a role in the attack, correct?"

SengokuQueen looked down to the ground as she recalled what she did. "He's correct. I truly do regret my role in what happened."

"Well, at least you're willing to atone for it." Raguel said, getting SengokuQueen's attention. "It shows that you're learning. About yourself, and about other people."

_Interesting_, SengokuQueen thought, as she redirected her attention towards the duel.

"Duel!" Kitamura and Akira said at the same time.

**Kitamura: 4000 LP**

**Akira Zaizen: 4000 LP**

"As your superior, I shall go first." Kitamura declared. "Any objections?"

"None." Akira answered. _Might as well go along with it for now_, Akira thought. _After all, he does outrank me_.

"Alright then." Kitamura looked at his hand and smirked. _Zaizen thinks he can beat me_, he thought, _but I rigged my Duel Disk to give me the cards I need whenever I want them. He'll be at my mercy by the end of this duel_. "First I activate the Spell card, Graceful Charity. This card lets me draw three cards from my deck, in exchange for discarding two other cards from my hand." He drew three cards, and after briefly looking at them, he tapped two other cards in his hand and sent them to the Graveyard. "Next I activate Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two more cards." He then drew two more cards from his deck.

"Herald, what are the odds of drawing a card that lets you draw more cards?" Raguel asked him.

"In a deck of forty cards, the odds are 2.5%." Herald answered him. "Which means Kitamura either got really lucky, or..."

"He rigged his Duel Disk to get the preferred cards." Raguel muttered under his breath, crossing his arms. Before he logged into LINK VRAINS, he promised to record the duel for Roxy. Not only for her amusement, but so they can use it to blackmail him if needed.

"I pay 500 life points to Special Summon Tentacluster Darkwhip from my hand!" Kitamura said, as a blue mechanical crab appeared on his field.

**Kitamura: 4000 – 500 = 3500 LP**

**Tentacluster Darkwhip ATK: 100 DEF: 500 LV: 2**

"I now activate the Spell card, Machine Duplication. This card lets me Special Summon two copies of a Machine monster from my deck to my field with 500 or less attack points!" Soon, two more copies of Darkwhip appeared on his field.

**Tentacluster Darkwhip ATK: 100 DEF: 500 LV: 2**

**Tentacluster Darkwhip ATK: 100 DEF: 500 LV: 2**

_He's using that strategy, isn't he?_ Akira thought, narrowing his eyes. Like creation, like creator. This was going to be easier than he thought.

"Appear, my circuit!" A Link Portal soon appeared high above Kitamura's head. "The summoning conditions are three 'Tentacluster' monsters! I therefore set three Tentacluster Darkwhips!" The three Darkwhips entered the bottom-left, bottom, and bottom-right arrowheads, turning each of them red.

"Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 3! Tentacluster Nautilus!" A giant grey mollusk with blue innards and tentacles was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Kitamura's field.

**Tentacluster Nautilus ATK: 0 LINK-3** ↙️⬇️↘️

"Tentacluster Nautilus' effect!" Kitamura continued. "When it's Link Summoned, I can Special Summon a 'Tentacluster' monster from my hand to a zone it points to! Therefore, I Special Summon Tentacluster Drillworm from my hand!" A drill with fins at the back of it appeared on Kitamura's field to one of the Main Monster Zone's Nautilus pointed to.

**Tentacluster Drillworm ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LV: 3**

"I activate the effects of both Tentacluster Blastsuckers from my Graveyard! By banishing them from my Graveyard, you take 400 points of damage. And since I'm banishing two copies, well, you get the idea." Two blasts of energy erupted from Kitamura's Graveyard and hit Akira, causing him to slightly wince.

**Akira Zaizen: 4000 – 400 – 400 = 3200 LP**

"I summon a second Tentacluster Drillworm from my hand!" A second copy of Drillworm swam to his field, in another of the Main Monster Zones Nautilus was pointing to.

**Tentacluster Drillworm ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LV: 3**

"I'll also activate the Continuous-Spell card, Flexible Tentacluster!" Kitamura added. "The first time I would take battle damage from an attack involving a 'Tentacluster' monster, I do not! In addition, I can target one of my banished 'Tentacluster' monsters and Special Summon it to my field. Return, Tentacluster Blastsucker!" A small blue and purple jellyfish monster was summoned to the third and final Main Monster Zone Nautilus was pointing to.

**Tentacluster Blastsucker ATK: 400 DEF: 400 LVL: 2**

"Nautilus' second effect! Once per turn, it targets all monsters it points to and destroys them. However, I activate the effect of Blastsucker. If it's targeted by a Link Monster's effect, I can destroy it, and inflict 400 points of damage to you!" Blastsucker exploded behind Nautilus along with the two Drillworms, causing Akira to take a step back as his life points dropped once again.

**Akira Zaizen: 3200 – 400 = 2800 LP**

"I'm not done yet, as the effects of my Drillworms both activate as well!" Kitamura said. "Since it was in attack position when it was destroyed by a card effect, I can send a random card from your hand to the Graveyard. If it was a monster, another random card is discarded from your hand to the Graveyard!"

The cards in Akira's hand were randomly shown to Kitamura. "I choose the middle card." The card then turned to face him, revealing itself to be Tindangle Base Gardna before vanishing. "Excellent! As the card discarded was a monster, another random card is discarded from your hand!" Another card immediately vanished into particles.

"It's now time to choose the second card! So I choose the one on the far left!" The card on the far left turned to face him, revealing itself to be Tindangle Protector before turning into particles. "Today must be my lucky day! You know what that means, yes?" Soon, another card vanished into particles.

"I activate the effect of Tindangle Dholes!" Akira suddenly said. "Since it was sent from my hand to the Graveyard, I can target a 'Tindangle' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it to my field in face-down defense position. I choose to bring back Tindangle Protector!" A face-down card appeared on Akira's field.

"Trying to defend yourself, huh?" Kitamura responded. "In that case, I use the effect of Blastsucker from my Graveyard to banish it and inflict 400 points of damage to you!" There was no reaction from Akira as his life points dropped.

**Akira Zaizen: 2800 – 400 = 2400 LP**

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Kitamura concluded. _Zaizen thinks he's a better duelist than me_, he thought, smirking to himself. _But what he doesn't know is that I got to see how his deck works when he dueled against Playmaker. If he intends to use his monster's effects, my Trap card will shut them down for good. It's the perfect strategy!_

"My turn, I draw!" Akira calmly said, drawing the top card of his deck.

"Stop right there!" Kitamura exclaimed. "I activate Drillworm's second effect from my Graveyard! Since I have no cards in my hand and no monsters in my Main Monster Zone, I can banish one card with the same name as this one from my Graveyard to send a random card from your hand to your Graveyard. By doing this, I get to bring back Drillworm in Defense Position!" As Akira discarded a card from his hand, Drillworm reappeared on Kitamura's field.

**Tentacluster Drillworm ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LV: 3**

"Continuous-Trap, activate! Light of Intervention! This card prevents you from Setting your monsters, and if they were to be Set, they're Normal Summoned in face-up defense position!" _Victory is certain now_, Kitamura thought. _For with this card, Zaizen can't use his best cards and combos, nor can he use the flip effects of his monsters._

"Okay, it's official." Herald said. "He rigged his Duel Disk."

"I'll take care of this." SengokuQueen offered, stepping forward, but Raguel stopped her.

"Wait for it," was all he said to her.

"You know, based on what you just did, I was able to come to a conclusion." Akira observed.

"Oh? Is it that I'm superior to you in every way?" Kitamura asked.

"No." Akira answered. "Just like your AI Duelists, you're a one-trick pony, with a lazy, predictable strategy. For a deck like mine, however, it can adapt to the situation at hand!"

"You dare say that about me?!" Kitamura exclaimed.

"Then allow me to demonstrate, as you're too blind to see." Akira continued, ignoring Kitamura. "I activate the effect of Tindangle Delaunay from my Graveyard. Since I have no monsters in my Extra Monster Zone, I can banish this card from my Graveyard, and by doing so, I get to Special Summon three 'Tindangle' monsters with different names to my field in face-down defense position. But due to Light of Intervention, they're summoned in face-up defense position instead. Return, Tindangle Base Gardna, Dholes, and Jhrelth!" Three monsters appeared on Akira's field in defense position.

The first monster was a purple regular icosahedron with eyes and spikes.

The second monster was a worm-like creature with eyes on its skin and spikes sticking out on the sides. Upon opening its mouth, it revealed a single eye in the middle, with teeth on the top, left, and right sides of it.

The third monster was a green triangle, with a silhouette of a four-legged creature in it. On the bottom sides and at the top were four eyes, which generated an electrical field around the green triangle.

**Tindangle Base Gardna ATK: 0 DEF: 2300 LV: 5**

**Tindangle Dholes ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LV: 5**

**Tindangle Jhrelth ATK: 0 DEF: 1800 LV: 3**

"Come forth, Euler's Circuit!" Soon, a Link Portal appeared above Akira's head. "The summoning conditions are three 'Tindangle' monsters! I'll set Tindangle Base Gardna, Jhrelth, and Dholes into the Link Markers!" Base Gardna went into the top arrowhead, Jhrelth went into the bottom-left arrowhead, and Dholes went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 3! Tindangle Acute Cerberus!" A three-headed eerie-looking hound with dark-blue skin and violet armor over parts of its body jumped out of the Link Portal and appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on Akira's field. On its back were bat-like wings, and in each of its mouths with an eyeball in the middle. The beast howled, ready for battle.

**Tindangle Acute Cerberus ATK: 0 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

"You may have Link Summoned your best monster," Kitamura said, "but it's not going to help you win this duel!"

"We'll see about that!" Akira responded. "Acute Cerberus' effect! Since there are three or more 'Tindangle' monsters in my Graveyard, including Tindangle Base Gardna, it gains 3000 attack points! It also gains 500 attack points for every 'Tindangle' monster it points to!" Acute Cerberus howled as its strength increased, causing Kitamura to sweat in fear.

**Tindangle Acute Cerberus ATK: 0 + 3000 = 3000**

"I Flip Summon Tindangle Protector!" A worm-like creature with a large, green body at the front and bat-like wings appeared on Akira's field. A child-like face was at the front of the creature, which was attached to the green body protecting the nucleus. As it was in a Main Monster Zone Acute Cerberus was pointing to, it powered up further.

**Tindangle Protector ATK: 800 DEF: 1600 LV: 3**

**Tindangle Acute Cerberus ATK: 3000 + 500 = 3500 **

"I didn't expect you to make a comeback like this." Kitamura stated. "But even with your ace monster on the field, I'll take no damage. And on my next turn, it's over for you!"

"I assure you now, Kitamura. You don't have a next turn." Akira calmly replied. "Dholes' second effect! Since it was used as Link Material for a 'Tindangle' Link Monster, it can attack up to three times!"

"T-T-Three times?!" Kitamura repeated, taking a step back.

"That's correct!" Akira confirmed. "Battle! Tindangle Acute Cerberus first attacks Tentacluster Nautilus!" The three-headed hound released a wave of flames from its tongues, which morphed into a large serpent of fire with a canine-like head. The tornado of fire scorched Nautilus, destroying the creature for good.

"Now attack Tentacluster Drillworm!" Acute Cerberus released a second wave of flames from its tongues, turning Drillworm into particles.

"No, no, no! This isn't how the duel was supposed to go!" Kitamura exclaimed, taking a step back out of fear.

"Tindangle Acute Cerberus attacks you directly, Kitamura!" Akira said. "Isometric Inferno!" The three-headed hound released a wave of flames from its tongues, which morphed into a large serpent of fire with a canine-like head that headed straight for Kitamura!

BOOM!

By the time Acute Cerberus was finished with its attack, Kitamura was lying on the ground, clearly covered in burn wounds.

**Kitamura: 3500 – 3500 = 0**

"Now then, Kitamura." Akira walked over to where he was, as he tried to get up. "It's time for you to honor your end of the deal."

"I don't recall making any deal with you." Kitamura replied, standing on his two feet. "I'm your superior, and you'll-!"

But before he could finish, SengokuQueen ran straight at him and rammed her fist as deep as it could into his face, sending him to the ground. Blood soon started leaking out of Kitamura's nose.

"Honor your end of the deal." SengokuQueen told him. "Or else there's more where that came from."

"Oh, and this whole duel is _recorded_." Raguel added, walking towards where SengokuQueen and Akira are. "So in other words, you're at _our_ mercy."

"Okay, okay, fine!" Kitamura conceded, pressing a few buttons on his Duel Disk. Soon, a red sphere of data emerged out of it. "This is Rosetta's consciousness data. It's yours. Take it, and go!"

"Will do." Raguel said, taking the sphere of data. He turned to Akira. "Guess I'll see you in the real world." With that, he logged out of LINK VRAINS.

Akira approached to where Kitamura was and kneeled to his level. "If you do not honor the rest of the deal or try to weasel out of it in any way, what SengokuQueen just did to you will pale in comparison to what I'll do to you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes. Of course," a humiliated Kitamura answered.

"In that case, our business is done." Akira then logged out, along with SengokuQueen, who glared at the injured man before doing so.

_They will all pay for this_, Kitamura promised himself, as he stood up before logging out of LINK VRAINS as well.

_Ten minutes later, on the way to the Den City Hospital..._

"Thanks for recording that duel, Yuhiro." Roxy said, a gleeful look of happiness on our face.

"No problem, Roxy." Yuhiro replied. After returning to the real world, he immediately told Hideki that he had successfully retrieved Rosetta's consciousness data. The man was so happy that he bear-hugged Yuhiro, causing him to grunt in pain before releasing him.

Even Akira had to admit his satisfaction in, as Roxy said, 'ripping Kitamura a new one'. After all, Kitamura had it coming for years.

As soon as Isomaki arrived with the limo, everyone headed out for the Den City Hospital, with Roxy taking Yuhiro there in her van.

"I definitely enjoyed that duel." Herald commented, a huge smile on his face. "After all, it's not everyday you see someone perform an OTK like that." He kept replaying the moment where Acute Cerberus turned Kitamura into a crisp. "What a wonderful spectacle. I just love it when karma bites someone back in the ass."

"But in all seriousness though." Roxy said, turning her head to face Yuhiro. "I have a question for you."

"And what would that be?"

"Are you prepared for Rosetta, I mean Tsubaki, to know your real-life identity?"

Yuhiro thought it over. Keeping his identity a secret not only kept him safe, but the people he cared about safe as well. Only a few people knew it because he trusted them deeply.

But to help Tsubaki, he might have to make an exception. Just this one time.

"I'm prepared." Yuhiro finally said, turning to Roxy and giving her his answer. "Besides, I don't think sugar-coating what happened will help her recovery."

"And what about World Gears?" Herald asked, turning to look at Yuhiro. "Mr. Kinoshita admitted in creating the card. We'll obtain the card from him after we save his daughter, yes?"

"We'll just have to see, Herald." Yuhiro admitted. "We'll just have to see..." And the rest of the drive was silent, as Yuhiro looked at Rosetta's consciousness data in the palm of his hand, determined to save her...

**Card Gallery**

_No new cards in this chapter. _

**QOTC**

_With Akira getting the chance to shine in this chapter, what other characters do you want to see get their chance to shine?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 26: A Rose Always Has Its Thorns. With Tsubaki's consciousness data in hand, Yuhiro and the others go to Den City Hospital to wake her up. Unfortunately, upon doing so, Tsubaki immediately fights back, seeing her father and everyone else as enemies. In order to calm Tsubaki down, as well as help her and her father reconcile, Yuhiro challenges her to a duel in LINK VRAINS... _

**Author's Notes**

Done and done. In terms of content, this was one of the longer ones, so I apologize if it took longer than anticipated. Also, I want to let you know that after this chapter, there are only two more chapters left of the Cyberse Hunt arc before going to the Tower of Hanoi arc.

This chapter immediately continues from where we left off in Chapter 24, where Yuhiro arrived in Café Matsuo to recall with Roxy on what just happened. As soon as that was done, Watchman sent a message in LINK VRAINS to talk with him and Playmaker, where things got a bit... tense. This was due to a conflict between Watchman's actions for the greater good, and Yuhiro helping people in need. Now allow me to highlight a _flaw_ Yuhiro has: He believes he can help people by relating to them through his pain. While his desire to help others is noble, he has to draw the line as to when he can help and when action is necessary. I'll elaborate on that as the story progresses on.

The second thing that happens is the Hanoi meeting in the real world. Or in other words, at the Kogami household. After discussing who was responsible for creating World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy, as well as how they'll get it, Ryoken assigns Emon the task of retrieving it, with the promise of forgiving his past mistakes if succeeding.

The third thing that I'm actually proud of putting in this chapter is Gekiryushi's character development. After being forced out by Kitamura (who threatened her, by the way), she went to Akira to confess her role in the attack. Normally, Gekiryushi would be proud of what she did, but the fact that she _regrets_ putting Tsubaki in the hospital goes a huge way, as it shows that she is learning about how to consider the perspective of others. How will this affect her character going forward, you'll have to see.

The fourth thing that happened is that we meet Tsubaki's father and the creator of World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy, Hideki Kinoshita. Upon arriving, he then tells Yuhiro and the others from the top of what happened that caused his relationship with his daughter to fall apart. Six years ago, Tsubaki's mother died from cancer, but due to Hideki's career, he couldn't make it to the funeral to say goodbye. This soon led to him not being able to be there for his daughter when she needed it, further straining their relationship. And when their trip to Iceland was cancelled by a final test run, well, you could say that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Please let me know your thoughts on Tsubaki's backstory when you have the chance.

The fifth thing that happened was the development of Yuhiro and Aoi's _friendship_. Although Aoi made the mistake in revealing Yuhiro's identity to Hideki, not only did he forgive her, but he acknowledged her as his friend. This shows another side of Yuhiro: While he has no nonsense, he _can_ be forgiving.

Finally, there's the duel between Kitamura and Akira, which is one of the shortest duels so far. I originally planned for Ghost Girl to defeat Kitamura, but I ultimately decided on Akira because he only dueled _twice_. That's right, I said twice, and he lost _both_ times. So I decided to give him this win. After all, he deserves it.

Okay, it's now time for another announcement regarding the upcoming Arc V fanfic. For this chapter, I'm going to release the synopsis of the upcoming Arc V fanfic. Please let me know what you think below, and remember, the rest of the Arc V story will follow after the Original Dimension arc, with edits of course:

"Before the Dimensional War, before the four dimensions, there was but only one dimension. One filled with peace and harmony. However, that peace is soon to be disrupted, as an enemy emerges to fulfil a long-lost legend. Join three friends, as they work together to fight this enemy, where one will fall, one will rise, and one will risk everything to save their home."

Thank you for reading Chapter 25 of Obscured Truth. Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. In addition, constructive criticism is always welcome, as it helps make the story even better. If you know of anyone who would be interested in reading the story, don't hesitate in showing them.

What was your favorite part of this chapter? Was it Kitamura getting his behind getting handed to him by Akira (it was certainly my favorite part!)? The identity of who created World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy? Tsubaki's backstory? Or is it something to come?

Stay tuned for what's to come, as I got a feeling you will all enjoy it!


	26. Chapter 26: A Rose Always Has Its Thorns

**Responses to Reviews**

Thank you to DennisNova, HunterHQ, Anonymous, Guest, Yuman28, ZeroMK7, KingOtakuOverYou, and Donjusticia for reviewing Chapter 25 of Obscured Truth.

Hi, everyone! As always, I hope that you're safe and healthy wherever your are. I'm happy to see that you are not only satisfied with the chapter, but that you enjoyed the characters in the story so far as well. I also fixed an error in Chapter 23, where Raguel used Cyreath Salvation to save Cyreath Hercules. This way, the timing of the chain will be correct. Stay tuned at the end of this chapter, as I'll release another announcement for the upcoming Arc V story.

It's now time to answer reviews:

DennisNova: I'm glad that you're enjoying the story so far. As for your question regarding what deck the OC will use, while I won't directly answer it, what I will tell you is that it has access to a lot of the summoning methods.

HunterHQ: There's a reason why Watchman won't directly tell everyone what the 'Crisis' is, and that reason will be revealed later on in the story. As for whether or not Tsubaki and her father will reconcile, you'll just have to read this chapter to find out. I'm happy to see that you not only enjoyed the Dr. Strange references, but the duel and SengokuQueen's character development as well.

Anonymous: You'll just have to read on to find out the answers to your questions.

Guest: Athaliah cross-referenced everyone in Den City until she found a match. And it was Infearno, not Ryoken, who coerced it out of her.

Yuman28: Thank you very much for saying that. Glad to see you enjoyed the character development of the secondary characters.

ZeroMK7: Happy to see you're excited for the upcoming Arc V story.

KingOtakuOverYou: All I'll say is that you're entitled to your own opinion, and I respect it completely.

Donjusticia: Okay, I didn't expect you to write a TeamFourStar reference in your review. Happy to see that you enjoyed Akira kicking butt in his duel against Kitamura.

Now onward to the chapter!

**Chapter 26: A Rose Always Has Its Thorns**

_At the Den City Hospital..._

A doctor led the quintet to Room 5E in the trauma wing, where Tsubaki was resting in her hospital bed.

"She's right here," Hideki said, opening the door for Yuhiro, to which he stepped through.

"Thank you." Yuhiro replied, walking over to Tsubaki's hospital bed. After pressing a few buttons on his Duel Disk, a red sphere of consciousness data emerged out of it. He held out the red sphere over her body and released it, causing it to fall and hit her chest. It then dispersed across her body, briefly illuminating the room before disappearing. "It's time to wake up."

Within moments, Tsubaki bolted upwards, having fully regained consciousness.

"Easy there," Yuhiro told her. "You're in the Den City Hospital, safe and sound."

After steadying her breathing, Tsubaki turned to her right, where she could look at Yuhiro.

"Who are-?" Tsubaki was about to ask, but she then looked at Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "You're Raguel in the real world, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am." Yuhiro answered. "My name is Yuhiro Furutani. I know you have a lot of questions, but I'll do my best to answer what I can if you just-."

"Tsubaki!" Hideki said, relieved to see her daughter up and about again. Unfortunately, when Tsubaki turned to see her father, the reaction on her face wasn't the one he was expecting. At all.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Tsubaki demanded. "In case you didn't know, I got a family. Ace is all I need now." Suddenly, her eyes widened, as she remembered Ace falling from the top floor of the Hanoi Stronghold. She then grabbed the sides of her head with her hands. "I remember. He fell, didn't he? All the way to the bottom of the Hanoi's headquarters, but he was all I had left." Tsubaki stood up from her hospital bed and wobbled before regaining balance and facing her father. "He was there for me, more than you ever were. This was all SOL Technologies' fault!"

"Kitamura is to blame for the attack." Yuhiro tried to tell her, but Tsubaki didn't buy it.

"Stay out of this, Furutani!" Tsubaki told him. "When my mother died, one by one, the people in my family left me, and that stranger over there was among them. What am I supposed to do now? There's nothing left for me, and another person I trusted is now dead! If you're trying to rectify the past, don't bother! I already forgot about my family!" She shoved Yuhiro a few feet before jumping back and grabbing her Duel Disk from the nearby table before activating it.

"Don't do this. Please!" Hideki pleaded with her. Even Aoi and Akira were shocked at what was going on. But before it can escalate further, Roxy whistled so loud that it got everyone's attention, even Tsubaki's.

"Hey, you two, look at your Duel Disks!" Roxy told them, to which they did. "I just sent you a link to a private server in LINK VRAINS. This way, if you got anything to sort out, do so in the server, AND NOT IN A PLACE LIKE THIS HOSPITAL!"

Yuhiro nodded at Roxy before turning back to Tsubaki. "Tsubaki, I know this is hard to take in. But if you need to duel to get all your emotions out, then I'll accept your challenge."

"Will you now?" Tsubaki said. "I thought you'd never ask!"

"Deck Set! Into the VRAINS!" both Yuhiro and Tsubaki said, logging into Roxy's private server. After a minute, Hideki put on his Duel Disk.

"I'm logging in as well." Hideki said. "This time, I will be there, for my daughter." A blue sphere then appeared around him as he logged into the server.

"We're going in too." Aoi said, as she and Akira put on their Duel Disks before logging in. "Wish us luck." Two more blue spheres appeared around the both of them as they went into the network.

Roxy went into Tsubaki's hospital room and sat on her bed as she sighed. "Come on, Yuhiro. You got this." _I know you'll make Miyu proud as well_, Roxy thought, as she watched the upcoming duel on her laptop.

_In Roxy's private server..._

Raguel and Rosetta appeared in the server, facing each other, while Hideki, Blue Angel, and Akira appeared at the side.

"It looks like there's only one way to protect your father and prove that we're all trying to help you." Raguel said. "Once this duel is over, you'll see that."

"I highly doubt that." Rosetta coldly replied.

"Duel!"

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Rosetta: 4000 LP**

"Unlike last time, I shall go first." Rosetta said, looking at the cards in her hand. "I summon Evil Thorn from my hand!" A dark, spiky plant with a shriveled, pink flower on one side and a massive grenade on the other sprouted onto Rosetta's field.

**Evil Thorn ATK: 100 DEF: 300 LV: 1**

"I'll now activate Evil Thorn's effect! By tributing this card, not only can I inflict 300 points of damage to you, but I can also Special Summon two more copies of Evil Thorn from my deck in attack position! However, I can't activate their effects." Evil Thorn flung the massive grenade at Raguel before shriveling up, causing him to slightly wince.

**Raguel: 4000 – 300 = 3700 LP**

Then two more copies of Evil Thorn sprouted onto Rosetta's field, in attack position.

**Evil Thorn ATK: 100 DEF: 300 LV: 1**

**Evil Thorn ATK: 100 DEF: 300 LV: 1**

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Rosetta concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said, drawing the top card of his deck.

"Well, that situation escalated quickly." Herald said, a hand on his chin as he emerged out of Raguel's Duel Disk.

"It unfortunately did." Raguel told him. "And now we're in this duel. So you got some advice?"

"For starters, a 'Cyreath' Link Monster would help us." Herald answered.

"Right. I summon Cyreath Barbarian from my hand!" Raguel said, turning his attention to Rosetta. A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined the field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal soon appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are one 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Barbarian in the Link Marker!" Barbarian went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"The effect of Barbarian activates!" Raguel added. "Since Barbarian was used as Link Material, Scorpius gains 500 attack points!" Scorpius glowed red as it powered up.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 + 500 = 1500**

"Scorpius' effect! Once per turn, when I control no monsters in the Main Monster Zone, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Barbarian!" Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, which Barbarian grabbed onto before jumping back onto Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Treasure from my hand!" Raguel continued. "This card allows me to draw two cards, in exchange for discarding one 'Cyreath' monster from my hand!" Raguel discarded Cyreath Wandering Soul from his hand before drawing two cards from his deck. "And now I activate the effect of Cyreath Wandering Soul from my Graveyard! By banishing it, I can Special Summon one 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field!" A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"And just like before, I shall call on the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A second Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters. I'll set Cyreath Barbarian and the Cyreath Wanderer token into the Link Markers!" Barbarian went into the top arrowhead, while the Wanderer token went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Ride into battle! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the Main Monster Zone Scorpius was pointing to. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"Just like before, Barbarian's effect activates!"

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 + 500 = 2500 **

"Let's battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Chariot Commander attacks one of your Evil Thorns!" Chariot Commander lit up in blue flames and fired a burst of fire at one of the Evil Thorns.

"You really thought that was going to be easy?" Rosetta asked. "Trap card, activate! Card Defense! By discarding a card from my hand, not only can I negate the attack, but I get to draw a card as well!" As Rosetta discarded a card from her hand and drew another one, a swarm of cards protected Evil Thorn from the fire blast. "I activate Rose Fairy's effect! Since it was added to my hand by a card effect, I get to Special Summon it!" A small fairy with rosy red eyes, pink skin and wings flew onto her field. Her hands and feet were decorated with rosy gloves and shoes. She also had a rose petal as hair.

**Rose Fairy ATK: 600 DEF: 1200 LV: 3**

"The battle still isn't over." Raguel reminded her. "Cyreath Scorpius attacks one of your Evil Thorns!" Scorpius charged at one of the Evil Thorns and slashed it with its large pincers, destroying the dark, spiky plant. As a result, Rosetta's shoulder fizzled briefly.

**Rosetta: 4000 – 900 = 3100 LP**

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Raguel concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" Rosetta said, drawing the top card of her deck. "I summon Witch of the Black Rose from my hand!" A small, female witch with green eyes and long, bushy purple hair twirled her small vined wand as she appeared on Rosetta's field. She wore a black dress with purple roses in the middle, along with high-heeled black boots with little purple roses on the boots.

**Witch of the Black Rose ATK: 1700 DEF: 1200 LV: 4**

"What's she planning, Akira?" Blue Angel asked him.

"I don't know." Akira answered her. "But whatever it is, it can't be anything but good."

"I tune the Level 4 Witch of the Black Rose with the Level 3 Rose Fairy!" Rosetta said, as a bolt of green lightning struck her. The world then greyed out as her two monsters disappeared into particles. Two rings, one purple and one pink, appeared before turning blue and merging. Seven blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "7" as light surged through the rings.

"The cold flame engulfs the entire world!" Rosetta chanted. "Pitch-black flower, bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 7! Black Rose Dragon!" A massive, black-skinned dragon, whose entire body was covered in roses, spread out her wings and let out a shriveling roar as she was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Rosetta's field. She had a long, slender neck that was covered in roses at the back, and three mandibles that were made of roses on her head. She also had clawed draconic feet. In addition, the dragon had a long, thorned tail, along with thinner thorned tails. Black Rose Dragon's orange eyes glowed as she glared at Raguel.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

Upon being summoned, Black Rose Dragon released a gust of wind, causing everyone except Rosetta to raise their arms to shield their eyes.

"This duel isn't just about winning or losing anymore." Akira stated. "It's going to come down to who actually survives."

"I activate Black Rose Dragon's effect!" Rosetta continued. "When she's Synchro Summoned, every card on your field is destroyed! Black Rose Gale!" Black Rose Dragon let out a roar as she flapped her wings in front of her, unleashing a tornado at Scorpius, Chariot Commander, and Raguel's face-down card, destroying them along with Evil Thorn and Rosetta's facedown card before getting destroyed in the process.

"And just like before, all our cards got destroyed!" Herald panicked. Although Raguel had a contingency in case this happened, he certainly had to agree with Herald. He did not like this at all.

"I activate the second effect of the Trap card, Forced Rebirth from my Graveyard!" Rosetta said. Soon, a silhouette of a card appeared, showing Crass Crown clawing its way out of the Graveyard as it transformed into Clown Zombie. "When this card is destroyed by a card effect, I can Special Summon a monster straight from my Graveyard. Return, Black Rose Dragon!" On Rosetta's command, Black Rose Dragon reappeared on her field, only in the Main Monster Zone. Upon looking at the people watching, more preferably Hideki, Black Rose Dragon roared at them in fury.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"As much as I want to wipe you off the planet, _dad_," Rosetta spat that last word out of her mouth as she addressed him, "I must finish this duel first." She turned her head back to Raguel. "Battle! Black Rose Dragon attacks you directly! Black Rose Flare!" Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it at Raguel, but...

"If you can activate cards from the Graveyard, then so can I!" Raguel stated. "I activate the second effect of the Trap card, Cyreath Apparition from my Graveyard!" A silhouette of a card appeared, which showed the soul of Cyreath Cyclops being formed by Cyreath Hades, Lord of the Underworld. "By banishing this card and one 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can Special Summon one 'Cyreath Apparition' in attack position, which gains attack and defense points equal to the banished 'Cyreath' Link Monster's attack points. I banish Chariot Commander and this card!" A dark orb of light appeared on Raguel's field, before taking the form of Chariot Commander.

**Cyreath Apparition Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1 **

**Cyreath Apparition Token ATK: 0 + 2000 = 2000 DEF: 0 + 2000 = 2000**

"Then that one will pay the price!" Rosetta said, as the blast of energy hit the Apparition token, destroying it completely and causing Raguel to slightly wince.

**Raguel: 3700 – 400 = 3300 LP**

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn. Don't think I'm going to make this quick, Raguel." Rosetta told him. "I want to watch you squirm."

"Rosetta, let's talk about this." Raguel replied. "I know you're upset and scared, but all of us just want to help you feel better. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Don't bother, Raguel." Rosetta decided. "Stop trying to reach me. I get it, you're the 'good' guy. You like helping people. But you can't help me. No one can. Not now. Only one person understood me, really tried to help me deal with my pain by directing my anger towards it. My father doesn't, and neither do you. Just Ace, and now he's..." She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. "With him likely dead, it's just me, and I don't feel like talking about it."

"You're wrong." Raguel pointed out. "You do have a home, and you've always had one. With your father."

"That's right, Raguel." Hideki confirmed, before turning to face Rosetta. "Rosetta, I understand our relationship has been strained by my mistakes, but if you just-."

"Wait. My father?" Rosetta repeated. "So you're saying I should go back to him and just forget what happened? That's nothing but bullshit!" Black Rose Dragon roared, unleashing a second gust of wind that led to everyone except Rosetta raising their arms in front of them to shield their eyes.

_This is bad_, Raguel thought. _From what I'm seeing, Rosetta dueled with Black Rose Dragon so many times that it's as though they're one and the same. The angrier Rosetta gets, the angrier Black Rose Dragon gets, and vice versa. It also means that the situation can get more dangerous for everyone here if I'm not careful._

"It's my turn! I draw!" Raguel said, drawing the top card of his deck.

"Raguel, I hate to be a pain in your butt right now." Herald said. "But I need you to focus _only_ on this duel right now. If you continue trying to reach out to her, let's just say it won't end well for the both of us."

"Herald, I promised her father that I'd help him." Raguel reminded him. "And the duel isn't over yet. After all, anything can happen."

"I know that." Herald responded, turning to face the duel. "I just don't want us to be mauled by that dragon, nor does Progleo for that matter."

"Then I'll make sure that we survive." Raguel promised. "First, I activate the Spell card, Link Reborn from my hand! This card lets me Special Summon one Link Monster from my Graveyard! However, it can't attack for the rest of this turn! Appear, once again! Cyreath Scorpius!" The huge scorpion from earlier reappeared on Raguel's field, only in the Main Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Why would Raguel do that?" Hideki asked, curious. "Had Raguel banished Scorpius earlier, he could have brought back Chariot Commander. He then could have summoned a monster from his hand and brought out a Link 3 monster."

"Because he has a plan." Blue Angel answered him. "And I have faith in it."

"I now activate Cyreath Doppelganger's effect from my hand!" Raguel continued. "Since I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A pale, shadowy man materialized itself on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Doppelganger ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared in the sky above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set Cyreath Doppelganger into the Link Markers!" Doppelganger went into the bottom-right arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Hephaestus!" A deformed blacksmith carrying a heated rod and a walking stick joined his Cyreath comrades on Raguel's field. He wore a short brown tunic around his waist.

**Cyreath Hephaestus ATK: 500 LINK-1 **↘️

"Hephaestus' effect!" Raguel added. "Once per turn, if I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can target one Spell or Trap card in my Graveyard and add it to my hand! And I know the perfect one!" A card popped out of Raguel's Graveyard, which he added to his hand. "I activate the Spell card I added to my hand, Cyreath Treasure. Just like before, I can draw two cards, but I must discard one 'Cyreath' monster from my hand in exchange." After discarding Cyreath Miner, he then drew two cards from his deck.

"I now activate Doppelganger's second effect! Once per duel, by banishing one 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard, I get to Special Summon this card to my field in attack position. I banish Barbarian to activate its effect and summon it back!" Doppelganger, for a second time, materialized itself onto Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Doppelganger ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"Appear, for a third time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a second Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I Set Cyreath Hephaestus and Cyreath Scorpius, which are both Link 1 monsters, and Cyreath Doppelganger into the Link Markers!" Scorpius went into the top arrowhead, Hephaestus went into the bottom-left arrowhead, and Doppelganger went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 3! Cyreath Caster!" A woman with the appearance of that of a witch from a fairy tale leapt out of the Link Portal and onto Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. She wore a hooded bluish-purple robe, along with armor on her arms and legs. One of her noticeable features was her knife-shaped ears.

**Cyreath Caster ATK: 2000 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

"I didn't know Raguel had that monster in his Extra deck..." Akira muttered.

"It's called an 'upgrade'." Herald pointed out to Akira. "All duelists do it, including us!"

"I activate Cyreath Caster's first effect." Raguel said, ignoring Herald. "During my turn only, all 'Cyreath' monsters I control gain 300 attack and defense points. Forbidden Boost!" Caster raised her staff into the air as it glowed purple, powering her up temporarily.

**Cyreath Caster ATK: 2000 + 300 = 2300**

"I summon Cyreath Enhancing Angel from my hand." A female angel with blond hair and wearing a yellow dress appeared on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Enhancing Angel ATK: 900 DEF: 900 LV: 3**

**Cyreath Enhancing Angel ATK: 900 + 300 = 1200 DEF: 900 + 300 = 1200**

"While Enhancing Angel is on the field, all 'Cyreath' monsters on the field gain 300 attack and defense points!" Enhancing Angel put her arms out in front of her, as she released a burst of energy all over Raguel's field, powering both herself and Caster up.

**Cyreath Caster ATK: 2300 + 300 = 2600**

**Cyreath Enhancing Angel ATK: 1200 + 300 = 1500 DEF: 1200 + 300 = 1500**

"Yes!" Herald cheered. "Now Caster has just enough attack points to slay the dragon!"

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Caster attacks Black Rose Dragon! Wicked Magecraft!" Caster fired a purple blast of lightning from her staff at Black Rose Dragon. However, Rosetta was unfazed by the attack.

"Continuous-Trap, activate! Safe Zone!" Rosetta interjected. "I target one monster on my field, and as long as this card remains, the targeted monster cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, nor can it be targeted by card effects. I target Black Rose Dragon!" A blue veil surrounded Black Rose Dragon, protecting her from the purple lightning. "And before you say it, I'm well aware that I still take battle damage." Rosetta's shoulder fizzled as her life points slightly dropped.

**Rosetta: 3100 – 200 = 2900 LP**

"Damn it!" Herald said. "If we only summoned Cyreath Nymph earlier, we could have got rid of that card. Hang on..." He turned to face Raguel. "You do have it in your hand, right?"

"Afraid not." Raguel answered him, causing Herald to slump over.

"Aw, crap."

"But I do have these two cards." Raguel added, getting his attention. "Which I will set both face-down on my field to end my turn. As my turn is over, my monsters both temporarily lose Caster's power boost."

**Cyreath Caster ATK: 2600 – 300 = 2300**

**Cyreath Enhancing Angel ATK: 1500 – 300 = 1200 DEF: 1500 – 300 = 1200**

"Was that little move supposed to scare me or something? Because I'm not impressed!" Rosetta said, drawing the top card of her deck. "My turn! I draw!" After looking at the card, she smirked. "I first activate the effect of Rose Bell of Revelation from my Graveyard! By banishing it from my Graveyard, I get to Special Summon one Plant monster with 2400 or more attack points from my hand! Come, Queen Angel of Roses!" A female angel with short, blond hair landed onto Rosetta's field. She had red, featherily wings with strands of blond hair attached to it. She also wore a long, rose-themed dress that started as a regular dress, but became more armored and sharper at the bottom. On her head, she wore a helmet with a rose symbol on it. In her left arm, she carried a long sword.

**Queen Angel of Roses ATK: 2400 DEF: 1300 LV: 7**

"I understand she had Queen Angel of Roses in her hand." Herald said. "But how did Rose Bell of Revelation end up in her Graveyard?"

"It's because it was the card she discarded when she played Card Defense, Herald." Raguel answered him.

"It's good to see you catching on, Raguel." Rosetta stated. "Because I now activate Queen Angel of Rose's effect. Once per turn, I can destroy a face-up monster on the field with the lowest attack points. And the monster is Cyreath Enhancing Angel!" Queen Angel of Roses fired a blast of energy from her sword at Enhancing Angel, but...

"Counter-Trap, activate! Cyreath Intervention!" Raguel said. "By paying 1000 life points, I can negate the activation of a card effect and destroy it!" As Raguel winced in pain, a lightning bolt struck Queen Angel of Roses, destroying her.

**Raguel: 3300 – 1000 = 2300 LP**

"In addition, I activate Cyreath Caster's second effect! Once per Chain, immediately after this effect resolves, I can Link Summon using monsters I control, including this card!"

"You're Link Summoning on _my_ turn?!" Rosetta exclaimed. _He's Link Summoning Turboblaze Dragon_, she thought. _This time, I'm ready for it!_

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a Link Portal appeared in the sky. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I Set Cyreath Caster, which is a Link 3 monster, and Cyreath Enhancing Angel into the Link Markers!" Caster went into the left, bottom, and right arrowheads, while Enhancing Angel went into the top arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The Embodiment of Truth is given to mankind! Link 4! Turboblaze Dragon!" A white-color bipedal dragon with blue irises and black pupils, as well as a long and slender neck emerged from the Link Portal to the right Extra Monster Zone as he roared upon appearing on Raguel's field. He had a long, voluminous wispy mane streaming out from the upper side of his snout and outwards from his head, with two protrusions resembling ears on the top of the mane. His arms were slender and arm-like with a wing-like appearance and four fingers on his claws. He had a feathered chest, with long feather-like protrusions jutting out of his thighs. On his feet were large grey claws, three at the front and one positioned at the back to resemble high heels. He also had a jet engine-like tail, with two large bands similar to the front and ribbon like extensions.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 LINK-4** ⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️

"I activate Turboblaze Dragon's first effect!" Raguel continued. "When he's Link Summoned, the effects of all monsters you control are negated! Heat Veil!" The jet engine-like tail that Turboblaze had soon began to charge up.

"Take this!" Turboblaze shouted before unleashing waves of volcanic energy at Black Rose Dragon, covering her in scorch marks.

To everyone's surprise though, Rosetta wickedly smiled. "I'm glad you're finally seeing the truth, Raguel. That I'm the opponent in this duel, not someone who you can save!"

"That isn't true, Rosetta..." Raguel replied, shocked at what he was hearing. He didn't want to use force in this duel, but he was running out of options. "I activate Caster's third effect. As this Link Summoned card was sent to the Graveyard, I can add a Spell card from my deck to my hand." A card popped out of Raguel's deck, which he added to his hand.

"Raguel..." Blue Angel muttered. As his friend, she was clearly worried for him.

"I end my turn." Rosetta concluded. "Now that you brought out your most powerful monster, we'll find out which one is stronger."

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel began, drawing the top card of his deck. "Battle! Turboblaze Dragon attacks Black Rose Dragon! Desolation Flare!" As the jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power, Turboblaze flew up into the air, charging up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at Black Rose Dragon. Although it hit her, it left her unscathed.

**Rosetta: 2900 – 600 = 2300 LP**

"What's the matter, Raguel?" Rosetta asked. "You running out of things to do and say? You ready to actually duel?"

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Raguel concluded, ignoring her.

"Why didn't you make other moves, Raguel? After all, you have cards in your hand!" Herald pointed out. "If your head isn't in the game, then we'll lose. Can you hear me? Hello?"

Hideki narrowed his eyes as he watched the duel. _Raguel is doing everything he can, _he thought_. He's trying to help her, to talk to her, but she won't listen to anyone. Instead, she's breaking him apart piece by piece. I have to do something! _He then ran to the duel field, to the shock of Akira and Blue Angel.

"What are you doing?" Akira called out to him. "If you go there, you'll get hurt!"

"I'm not abandoning her!" Hideki told him. "Not this time!" He ran to where Raguel was and stood in front of him, spreading his arms out as though he were protecting him. When Raguel saw what he was doing, he was surprised.

"Get out of my way, dad." Rosetta ordered him. "When I'm done with him, you're next, so wait your turn!"

"No!" Hideki replied. "Not until you hear what I have to say!" After a brief silence, he continued. "I'm sorry, Tsubaki. I...I wasn't as good a father-."

"Save it." Rosetta coldly replied, looking away from him. "It's too little, too late."

"I admit it. When your mother died, I ended up choosing my career over you." Hearing this from Hideki caused Rosetta to widen her eyes in surprise. "I couldn't juggle my responsibilities with taking care of you when you needed me most. I failed."

"Yeah. I know all of this." Rosetta stated. "That inability of yours ultimately led me to realize the truth: People only care about themselves, not their loved ones."

"For some people, perhaps." Hideki agreed with her. "But I'm not one of those people. Allow me to explain what I mean. That night, when you ran away from home, I realized that my actions pushed you away, and I desperately wanted to find you, to make sure you were safe. For six years, I was disappointed with myself because I failed you. What I'm saying is-."

"So wait a minute?" Rosetta interrupted him. "This is about _you_ now?!"

"Yes. It's about me letting you down. I never stopped caring about you, Tsubaki. Neither did your mother. You'll always be my daughter."

"Stop! Just stop talking, dad!" Rosetta ordered him. "No way am I falling for this!"

"Rosetta, please listen to your dad!" Raguel pleaded. "He's practically begging for your forgiveness!"

"The time for forgiveness is over, dad!" Rosetta decided, drawing the top card of her deck. "My turn! I draw! I activate the Spell card, Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two cards from my deck!" She drew the top two cards of her deck. "I now summon Dark Verger from my hand!" A sprout with two leaves appeared on Rosetta's field. On each of the leaves was an eyeball.

**Dark Verger ATK: 0 DEF: 1000 LV: 2**

"I'll also activate the Spell card, Mini-Guts. By tributing a monster on my field, one monster you control has its attack points reduced to zero until the End Phase. Also, if its destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you take damage equal to its original attack points! I tribute Dark Verger!" Dark Verger exploded into particles, which went into Mini-Guts. Within moments, a blast of energy fired out of it and towards Turboblaze, causing him to roar in pain as his strength was reduced to zero.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 - 3000 = 0**

"It's time to battle!" Rosetta declared. "Black Rose Dragon attacks Turboblaze Dragon! And if my dad gets in the way, then take him out too! Black Rose Flare!" An enraged Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it straight at Turboblaze.

"Raguel better do something, or else his dragon is done for." Akira said, his eyes narrowing at the duel.

"I activate the Trap card, Cyreath Resolve!" Raguel said. The card showed Cyreath Hercules wrestling against Cyreath Nemean Lion, refusing to give up. "By banishing a 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard, my monster is not destroyed, and battle damage is cut in half. I banish Cyreath Hephaestus!" A brief veil surrounded Turboblaze, protecting him from Black Rose Dragon's attack. Raguel turned to Hideki and added, "You might want to move, sir."

Hideki, in response, braced himself for Black Rose Dragon's attack, as the impact caused wisps of energy to bounce off and hit him. As a result, Hideki fell to the ground, while Raguel rolled to his left to avoid the wisps.

**Raguel: 2300 – (2400 / 2) = 1100 LP**

"Why did you do that?" Rosetta demanded. "You knew the consequences of your actions, and yet you still got in the way. Are you not going to answer me?!"

"Tsubaki, my little girl." Hideki muttered, as he slowly got up and took a step towards her. "Please give me a second chance. Come home with me, and I promise I'll-."

"Stay back." Rosetta warned him. "My dragon is very pissed off right now, and so am I."

"Move, sir. You're going to get hurt!" Raguel stated.

"I don't care!" Hideki replied to both of them, taking another step towards Rosetta. "I don't care if she hurts me. After all, when she was hurting, I turned my back on her. When she needed me, I turned away. I won't make that same mistake again."

"That sounds sweet and all," Rosetta said, "but you don't mean it."

"He does." Raguel interrupted, surprising her. "Give him a chance. Everyone deserves second chances. Give your father the opportunity to show that he cares about you."

"I..." Rosetta couldn't speak out of shock, so she shook her head in anger to try and deny what she just heard. Seeing her mistress in distress, Black Rose Dragon unleashed a whirlwind in pure anger, causing everyone to raise their arms to shield their eyes. "What's going on?" Rosetta then turned to Black Rose Dragon. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm picking up high energy levels from Black Rose Dragon, Raguel." Herald stated, as he too put his arms in front of him to shield his eyes. "It can only mean one thing."

"Black Rose Dragon has a sentient program infused with her." Raguel realized. He called out to Rosetta and said, "Rosetta! You have to let go of your negative emotions! The more you embrace them, the more they control you!"

"But how am I supposed to do that?" Rosetta questioned, her hands on the sides of her head. "If I lower my barriers and give people another chance, how will I know it'll end differently for me?"

"The truth is, I don't know." Raguel admitted. "But what I do know is this: If you find the strength to confront your pain and fear, you'll be able to obtain the peace you've been seeking for six years. Besides, aren't you tired of being afraid?"

Rosetta's eyes widened as she processed this information. Black Rose Dragon was going berserk, and she lost control of her. _All I've ever wanted was to belong again_, she thought. _Although my father is willing to start over, I'm afraid of being abandoned again. But if I keep holding onto this fear…._ _No. Raguel's right. I'm tired of being afraid._

She soon saw Black Rose Dragon get ready to hit Hideki with one of her thorned tails._ It's time to confront it once and for all! _

"Dad, look out!" Rosetta called out to him, as the thorned tail came down. She immediately ran towards her father and pushed him out of the way, causing her to be the target of the attack, to the horror of everyone.

SMACK!

"Tsubaki!" Hideki cried out in response, as the two of them fell to the ground. He immediately got up and ran over to where she was, cradling her body in his arms. "Please be okay, my little rose! Please!"

"Dad..." Rosetta said, opening her eyes and looking at him.

"You're alright. Thank goodness."

"Help me up, dad." Rosetta requested. "I have to... do something important." Nodding his head, Hideki helped Rosetta up, before the two of them walked to where Black Rose Dragon was.

"Akira, is she nuts?" Blue Angel asked out of concern. "After all the destruction Black Rose Dragon unleashed, she's still going towards her?"

"I'm not sure what Rosetta has planned." Akira replied. "Lets just hope it's something good."

As Rosetta and Hideki approached Black Rose Dragon, she lowered her head in shame.

"I poured all my negative emotions into you." Rosetta told Black Rose Dragon, placing a hand on her head and calming her down. "For that, I want to say I'm sorry. I'm ready to move on from my pain and fear, but I can't do it alone. Will you be at my side as I do so?" Black Rose Dragon nudged her head in agreement, causing Rosetta to smile.

Hideki then helped Rosetta turn around and face Raguel. "I end my turn," she told Raguel. "Which means Turboblaze Dragon's attack points return to normal." Turboblaze roared as his strength returned to him.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 0 + 3000 = 3000**

"Raguel, please. Finish this duel. I don't want to fight anymore."

Raguel nodded. "My turn! I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck.

"Did you get the card we need?" Herald asked Raguel, turning to him.

"Yes." Raguel confirmed. "I summon Cyreath Shade from my hand!" A grey-armored warrior from head to toe jumped onto Raguel's field. His helmet looked like that of an eerie ghost. Wisps of smoke emitted from his armor.

**Cyreath Shade ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"When Cyreath Shade is Normal Summoned, I can target one face-up Spell or Trap card you control and Set it. You're not allowed to activate it in response until the End Phase. I target your Safe Zone!" Shade pointed his right hand at Safe Zone, causing the wisps of smoke to obscure Safe Zone completely. As a result, the blue veil protecting Black Rose Dragon vanished.

"Since Safe Zone is now Set on your field, the card protecting Black Rose Dragon has been nullified." Herald pointed out. "It's time to finish this, Raguel!"

"Indeed." Raguel agreed with him. "Battle! Turboblaze Dragon attacks your Black Rose Dragon! Desolation Flare!" The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze flew up into the air and charged up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at Black Rose Dragon.

"Turboblaze's additional effect! If this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you take damage equal to the destroyed monsters attack points!"

As Black Rose Dragon was consumed by the ball of fire, she roared before exploding into yellow particles. Rosetta and Hideki embraced each other for the first time in six years, happy to be reunited at last.

**Rosetta: 2300 – 600 – 2400 = 0**

"I missed you." Rosetta said to Hideki.

"I missed you too, honey." Hideki replied. "Let me start making up for that right now."

"Thank you, dad. But you sure you want me home? After all, I've done horrible things to many people."

"Rosetta." Raguel said, getting her attention as he walked over to where they were. "Listen. You and your dad have a lot of catching up to do. But we could also use your help against the Knights of Hanoi. What do you say? Will you fight with us?"

Rosetta wiped her eyes. "You got it, Raguel." She then turned to her father. "If that's alright with you, dad."

"Of course it is." Hideki confirmed. "After all, you've always had a big heart."

"I'm glad to see you're both okay." Blue Angel said, walking over with Akira to where Raguel was.

"And happy once again." Akira added. "Shall we convene in the real world?"

"That might be a good idea." Hideki replied. "After all, I want to thank you in person, Raguel."

Within moments, everyone logged out of Roxy's private server.

_At the Den City Hospital..._

As the blue spheres disappeared around everyone, Yuhiro was the first to return, being forced to take a knee. Soon, everyone else returned, one by one.

"That duel took a bigger toll on you than anticipated, didn't it?" Roxy said, walking to where he was and helping him up.

"Yeah." Yuhiro agreed with her. "Physically, and mentally."

"Tsubaki!" Hideki said, running over to her and hugging her. "I'm so happy that we're a family again!"

"Me too, dad." Tsubaki replied, hugging him back. "Me too."

Hideki turned to Yuhiro. "Furutani, I want to thank you for helping me reconcile with Tsubaki. It means a lot."

"I want to thank you as well." Tsubaki added. "For helping me when I needed it."

"It's no problem. Really." Yuhiro said, as Roxy gave him a snide look. "Don't you dare start teasing me right now, Roxy!"

Tsubaki then looked down to the ground, having remembered something.

"What is it, Kinoshita?" Aoi asked her, as she and Akira went into Tsubaki's hospital room.

"I just remembered all the things I've done while I was on the black market." Tsubaki answered her. "It's probably on my criminal record, which means I won't be able to stay with my dad again!"

"What are you talking about?" Herald asked, causing Tsubaki to raise an eyebrow. "I'd check it again if I were you."

When Hideki pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk, he looked at Tsubaki's criminal record. And to their surprise-.

"It's clean." Hideki realized. "Tsubaki, your record's all clean! As though nothing happened!"

"It is?!" Tsubaki asked in shock. When she looked at it, both of them cried tears of joy as they hugged each other again.

"Herald, did you-?" Yuhiro was about to ask, but Hideki got Yuhiro's attention.

"No words can describe my gratitude to you. Both of you." Hideki said. "How can I pay you back?"

"Well, there is one thing." Herald replied. "World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy. If you give it to me, I promise to put it in a place that's safe. That way, the Hanoi will be off your backs."

Hideki wiped his eyes and smiled. "Deal."

As everyone started walking out of the hospital, Aoi fell in step with Yuhiro.

"You're a good person, you know that?" Aoi told him. "You care about other people. Just like with Kinoshita."

"I know that." Yuhiro said, a small smile forming on his lips briefly before turning into a frown. "But someone once told me that what I do in terms of helping people is small."

"What are you saying?"

Yuhiro stopped walking, as well as Aoi, who faced him with curiosity. "What I'm concerned about is this: If I help someone, does that mean I don't know when to draw the line and take action?"

"In my opinion, I think it's the opposite." Aoi stated, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You have a balance between compassion and strength. You're willing to help others by using pain as a motivator to relate to them. At the same time, when it's needed, you draw on your strength to protect those you care about. Don't you ever forget that."

Yuhiro nodded. "Thanks, Aoi." The two of them resumed walking until they reached the entrance of the Den City Hospital.

"Anyways, I'll see you at school, Yuhiro." Aoi told him before heading for the limo with Akira. After going inside of it, the limo drove away from the Den City Hospital.

"If you don't mind, Furutani," Hideki said, getting his attention, "I'd like to give you both the card once Tsubaki and I return home. I'll send you a message once I'm available."

"Take all the time you need." Yuhiro replied back, causing Hideki to smile. He and Tsubaki then started walking home, with Tsubaki giving Yuhiro a brief glance behind her and smiling before following after her dad.

"Glad that's patched up." Roxy said, her arms crossed. "The fact that we've helped a family reconcile brings a smile to my face."

"Yeah. I'm glad she's okay." Yuhiro said back, as the two of them started walking to the van. "She and her father now have the time to catch up." He then looked at Herald. "Herald, you didn't answer my question earlier."

"What question?" Herald asked.

"I was going to ask whether you hacked into SOL's servers or not."

Roxy's jaw dropped. "Herald, is it true?"

"Hey! It was for a good cause, you know!" Herald answered. "Besides, I made sure to erase my tracks."

"So you admit it?"

Herald slumped in defeat for a second time today. "Yeah, I did."

"Well, perhaps don't do it in the future." Yuhiro told him. "Unless in case of severe emergency."

"Ugh. Fine."

"If I may," Roxy interrupted them, "we practically have World Gears now."

"Oh yeah!" Herald realized. "Watchman will be pleased with hearing this good news."

"Send him a message then, Herald." Yuhiro told him. "If everything goes well, then we'll have World Gears by the end of the day."

_Three hours later..._

"Okay, I didn't know SOL Technologies had a LINK VRAINS division." Raguel said, as he went down an elevator with Rosetta and Hideki. A few hours after the events at the Den City Hospital, Yuhiro and Roxy had dinner to celebrate their success. Following dinner, Yuhiro got a message from Hideki, saying to meet him and Tsubaki at a list of coordinates he sent for the LINK VRAINS division of SOL Technologies.

Upon meeting them there, Hideki guided everyone to an elevator that would take them to the vaults.

"When LINK VRAINS was created, the higher-ups needed a team to maintain it within the network." Hideki explained. "From creating cards both in the network and in physical card form, to performing routine check-ups, this team operated alongside the security team in ensuring that LINK VRAINS was safe for everyone." The elevator soon stopped at the bottom floor and opened its doors, letting everyone exit.

After a few minutes of walking through a hallway of vaults, they reached the end of the hallway, which was sealed shut by a pearl-colored door. Zig-zagged yellow lines were embedded on the door. On the right was a hand and retinal scanner, along with a passcode lock.

"Stay here." Hideki told Rosetta and Raguel, as he went over to the scanners. He first put his hand on the hand scanner, letting it scan his hand before taking it off. Next, he allowed the retinal scanner to scan his eye for a few seconds before taking a step away. Finally, he entered the passcode, unlocking the door. The three of them then went inside the vault to retrieve the card.

But to their shock and horror, Infearno was _already_ in the vault, along with a device that was penetrating the barrier that protected World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy.

"Raguel. Rosetta. Mr. Kinoshita." Infearno said, turning around to face the trio, a wicked smile on his face. "I'm glad you all can make it. Let's have a little chat, shall we?"

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Shade (LV: 4/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)_

_Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 face-up Spell or Trap card your opponent controls; Set it face-down. Your opponent cannot activate the targeted card in response until the End Phase. _

_Forceful Rebirth (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: Target 1 monster in your GY; Special Summon it to your field, but its effects are negated. If this face-down card is destroyed by a card effect: You can target 1 monster in your GY; Special Summon it to your field in attack position. You can only use 1 'Forceful Rebirth' effect per turn, and only once that turn._

_Cyreath Apparition (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: Target 1 'Cyreath' monster you control; it gains 500 ATK/DEF until the End Phase. If this card is in your GY: You can banish this card and 1 'Cyreath' Link Monster from your GY; Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Apparition' token to your field (LV: 1/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 0/DEF: 0) (Gains ATK/DEF equal to the banished 'Cyreath' Link Monster's ATK). You can only activate 1 'Cyreath Apparition' per turn._

_Cyreath Resolve (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: When a 'Cyreath' Link Monster or 'Turboblaze Dragon' you control is targeted for an attack: You can banish 1 'Cyreath' Monster from your GY; this turn, monsters you control are not destroyed, also, any battle damage you take is halved. _

_Cyreath Caster (LR: 3/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 2000/__↙️⬆️↘️)_

_Effect: While this card is on your field, all 'Cyreath' monsters you control gain 300 ATK/DEF during your turn only. Once per Chain, during either player's turn, immediately after this effect resolves, Link Summon 1 Link Monster using monster(s) you control as material, including this card. If this Link Summoned card you control is sent to the GY: You can add 1 Spell card from your deck to your hand._

**QOTC**

_With Tsubaki having reconciled with her father, how do you think it will impact her character development? How do you think it will affect her role in the story? _

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 27: Revenge of the Hanoi. Somehow, Infearno managed to infiltrate the vault containing World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy! Intending on completing his mission, he immediately takes action and threatens the lives of Rosetta and Hideki, forcing Raguel to duel him for their safety. As the duel progresses, Infearno sports a wicked expression, bringing concern for Raguel and Herald... _

**Authors Notes**

Wow. I can't believe this chapter took me a shorter period of time than most. I gotta say, this puts a smile on my face indeed. Anyway, I just want to thank Helios Darkus for one of his card submissions, which turned out to be Cyreath Caster. Did you know that the design for Caster was based off of Caster from Fate Stay/Night?

So the main event for this chapter was the duel between Raguel and Rosetta. This duel was not only between cards, but between ideals as well. On one side, we have Rosetta, who believes that, with everything gone, she'll unleash her pain and anger on everyone to make them feel the same way she does. On the other side, there's Raguel, who's dueling to show that everyone there wants to help Rosetta feel better.

Long story short, Raguel ends up beating Rosetta, and as thanks, Hideki agreed to hand over World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy to Raguel, Roxy, and Herald. But as indicated by the last scene, Infearno has somehow infiltrated the vault. How do you think he managed to pull it off? You'll have to read on and find out.

Just a heads up for all of you: Next chapter will be the last one of the Cyberse Hunt arc. Once that's done, we'll be moving on to the Tower of Hanoi arc at last.

Alright, now onto the Arc V announcement for this chapter: The title for the Arc V story is called Pendulum's Rebirth. Let me know what you think of the chapter, and if for some reason, there's already a story that's called Pendulum's Rebirth, I don't mind hearing out better suggestions. After all, I have a back-up in case the place-holder for the title doesn't work.

Thanks for reading Chapter 26 of Obscured Truth. Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. In addition, constructive criticism is always welcome, as it helps make the story even better. If you know of anyone who would be interested in reading the story, don't hesitate in showing them.

What was your favorite part of this chapter? Was it the dialogue? The fact that Raguel won another duel? Rosetta finally reconciling with her father? Or was it something else?

Stay tuned for the next chapter, as things are going to get intense!


	27. Chapter 27: Revenge of the Hanoi

**Response to Reviews**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Guest, ZeroMK7, E.T. 2000, Donjusticia, Pikachu99, and Kingdom Hearts Guy for reviewing Chapter 26 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everyone! As always, I hope you're healthy and safe wherever you are. Before I answer reviews, there's something I wanted to talk about, which is your concerns revolving around Tsubaki. What I'll say is this: While there are a few similarities to Akiza from 5D's, there are also many differences. For instance, while Akiza has both her parents, Tsubaki only has her father.

I want to assure you all that I don't plan on having Tsubaki go down the same route Akiza did. Rather, I plan on taking her character in an interesting direction, which will help her forge her own identity. You also need to keep this in mind: Tsubaki just reunited with her father, and them catching up takes time. Time Tsubaki hasn't had until now. If you're curious about what I mean, then I encourage you to continue reading the story.

Also, stay tuned at the end of this chapter, as there will be one more Arc V announcement.

With that out of the way, let's get to the reviews:

HunterHQ: A good point you raise up regarding Tsubaki using Black Rose Dragon all the time. There's two reasons why she constantly relies on Black Rose Dragon. One: She was so trapped in her negative emotions that she couldn't use other cards. Two: It's actually a symbol of what her character initially represents when she first appeared. As I said earlier, I plan on taking Tsubaki in a direction that will help develop her character.

Guest: You'll find out what Playmaker and Ai have been up to either this chapter, in the next Roxy's Reports, or in Chapter 28.

ZeroMK7: Thank you very much for liking the chapter. First, I like your suggestion. Second, allow me to clarify your confusion: The reason why the place-holder title was called Pendulum's Rebirth was because it was a reference to how the Original Dimension split into four different dimensions.

E.T. 2000: I appreciate your constructive criticism. Please be at ease. As I said at the top, I plan on taking Tsubaki's character in an interesting direction. The main difference between the first and second duel between Rosetta and Raguel was this: In the second duel, Rosetta was not thinking clearly, and was ruled by her negative emotions. Whereas in the first duel, she was more calculative. As for your question regarding Herald, I'm happy to answer it. All of Herald's abilities focus on creating rather than destroying. First, he has a very strong photographic memory, which helps him remember vital information when creating new programs. Second, he can use Data Storm Material to create shields that can be used to reduce or eliminate damage, which can be used for defense or for holding unstable programs in place until a remedy's found. Third, using Data Storm Material, Herald can enhance either other programs or other things in and out of LINK VRAINS.

Donjusticia: The design for Cyreath Caster was based off of Caster from Fate Stay/Night, not from Fairy Tail. Also, thanks for the heads-up regarding grammar.

Pikachu99: If I told you, it'd be spoilers.

Kingdom Hearts Guy: Thanks very much. I appreciate it.

Anyhow, it's time for the final chapter of the Cyberse Hunt arc. I hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter 27: Revenge of the Hanoi**

_In the LINK VRAINS division of SOL Technologies... _

To the shock and horror of Raguel, Rosetta, and Hideki, Infearno was _already_ in the vault, along with a device that was penetrating the barrier that protected World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy.

"Raguel. Rosetta. Mr. Kinoshita." Infearno said, turning around to face the trio, a wicked smile on his face. "I'm glad you all can make it. Let's have a little chat, shall we?"

"How did you get in this vault?!" Hideki demanded from Infearno. "There's no way you could have gotten in this easily!"

"Oh, please." Infearno dismissed him. "It would have happened eventually, Mr. Kinoshita. One way or the other."

"What does he mean, dad?" Rosetta asked Hideki, getting his attention.

Hideki looked down to the ground in shame. "I almost made a deal with him. In exchange for World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy, he would give the program to save your life."

"That was one simple, yet effective scenario." Infearno interrupted, holding up a finger. He then held up a second finger. "The other scenario was scaring you just enough so you would contact either Playmaker, or more preferably Raguel for help. While that was the longer option, I am a patient man, and in the end, you delivered a condolence gift to me. A chance to not only acquire World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy for the Knights of Hanoi, but to defeat Raguel and take his Ignis from him!"

He was soon bathed in a dark aura, and before Raguel could warn Rosetta and Hideki, Graff and Cir emerged and attacked them, with the former lunging at Rosetta and pinning her to the ground, while the latter bearhugged Hideki.

"To think I'd get a chance to eat human flesh again." Graff said, relishing his victim. "Oh please let me eat this one!"

"Oh will you shut up, Graff?" Cir told his demon comrade. "We're to restrain, not eat!"

"Let them go!" Raguel demanded from Infearno, shocked at what he just did. "They have nothing to do with this!"

Infearno's response was to simply smirk. "But you're wrong, Raguel. Rosetta got herself involved when she joined us, while Mr. Kinoshita was dragged in when he created a powerful Cyberse card. One that relates to the Cyberse World itself."

"I don't know what you plan on doing with World Gears," Herald interrupted, emerging out of Raguel's Duel Disk, "but it will never surrender its power to you and the Knights of Hanoi!"

"Whatever your intentions are, we're stopping them here and now!" Raguel added.

"I'm afraid you won't succeed." Infearno responded, shaking his head. "For even if you do, you'll suffer a greater loss... _Yuhiro Furutani_."

Raguel's face paled in horror upon hearing Infearno say his name. He managed to figure out his real-life identity. But how?

Raguel thought back to people he encountered over the past few days. There was Watchman and his two allies, Rosetta, Dancho, Emon Uchida at Uchida Industries...

Hang on. Emon Uchida also had a scar over his face, just like the one Infearno has right now. Hell, the two of them looked practically alike. Which meant only one thing. Infearno was Emon Uchida the entire time. And he had the golden ticket to escape this sticky situation.

"Yuhiro. The hell happened?" Roxy asked over the earpiece, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Something really, really bad." Raguel answered her. "But I luckily have some information that will keep Infearno at bay." He then turned to Infearno. "I don't know how you managed to figure out my real-life identity, but believe it or not, I also know yours. So it looks like we're on the same playing ground once again!"

To Raguel's surprise, Infearno laughed. "I'd expect no less from you, Raguel. A classic Mexican Stand-off indeed. If our words can't break this stalemate, then perhaps our cards will!" Raising his left hand, which glowed with dark energy, Graff and Cir turned into energy as they returned to Infearno's Duel Disk. He then raised his right hand, trapping Rosetta and Hideki in separate, fiery cages.

"I told you to keep Rosetta and Hideki out of this!" Raguel reiterated to Infearno, upon seeing Rosetta and Hideki in the separate, fiery cages.

"I only did this to prevent them from escaping and alerting the others." Infearno replied. "After all, I want an audience for this duel. Besides, you want to _save_ them, don't you?" He snapped his fingers, causing the cages to start shrinking, much to the dismay of everyone else.

"Raguel, you have to fight!" Rosetta told him. "We can't do anything while we're in these cages, but you can stop him. I know you can!"

"Rosetta's right, Raguel." Hideki added. "We both trust you to defeat this psychopath."

Seeing that there was no other option, Raguel nodded his head. "All right." He turned back to Infearno. "If you want a rematch so badly, you got one!"

"I'm glad to see you've decided to accept my challenge." Infearno stated, activating his Duel Disk. "But before we begin, I want inform you of something else for this duel."

Raguel raised an eyebrow as he also activated his Duel Disk. "And what would that be?"

Infearno gestured to the mechanical device that was penetrating the barrier surrounding World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy. "This device right here is currently trying to break through the barrier World Gears has foolishly established around itself. As we duel, the device will absorb the energy that's generated, powering it up to higher levels. If you beat me in time, you'll be able to shut the device down and save your friends. Otherwise, World Gears will belong to the Knights of Hanoi."

"So all we have to do to win is stop you before the device reaches maximum power?" Herald inquired.

"Yup. It's that simple." Infearno confirmed. "But if at any point you or your ally tries to do something funny, your two friends will pay the price."

"Infearno." Raguel said, getting his attention. "This time, I'll finish you for good!"

"You can try." Infearno taunted back.

"Duel!" Raguel and Infearno said at the same time.

**Infearno: 4000 LP**

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

"I'll let you make the first move, Raguel." Infearno said. "Let's see how much you've evolved since our last duel."

"Bring it on!" Raguel replied, looking at his cards. "My turn! I'll start by summoning Cyreath Beastmaster from my hand!" A short, armored creature wearing a horned helmet on its head and armor over its body jumped onto Raguel's field. It carried a short axe in its right hand. On its back, it carried a large horn.

**Cyreath Beastmaster ATK: 0 DEF: 1500 LV: 4**

"When Cyreath Beastmaster is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my hand. Come, Cyreath Wandering Soul!" Beastmaster grabbed the horn on its back and blew into it, causing a loud sound. Soon, an illusion of a man appeared on Raguel's field, with mist running throughout his body.

**Cyreath Wandering Soul ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters. I'll Set Cyreath Beastmaster and Cyreath Wandering Soul into the Link Markers!" Beastmaster went into the bottom arrowhead, while Wandering Soul went into the right arrowhead, turning both of them red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Minotaur!" A creature with the head and tail of a bull, as well as the body of a man, appeared on Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. He wore a fauld around his waist, and on each of his wrists was some armor. Minotaur swung his axe at Infearno, ready for battle.

**Cyreath Minotaur ATK: 1800 LINK-2** ➡️⬇️

"I activate the effect of Wandering Soul from my Graveyard!" Raguel continued as he thrust out his right hand. "By banishing it, I can Special Summon one 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field and was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Minotaur was pointing to.

**Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"Appear, for a second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A second Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set the Cyreath Wanderer token into the Link Markers!" The Wanderer token went into the top arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Pseudo!" A watery spirit with one eye, two long arms, and a tail appeared in the Main Monster Zone Minotaur was pointing to.

**Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 0 LINK-1** ⬆️

"Pseudo's effect! It gains attack points equal to the monster it points to!" Raguel stated, as Pseudo morphed its body to look like a watery version of Minotaur.

**Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 0 + 1800 = 1800**

"I Set three cards face-down and end my turn." Raguel concluded. _Even if Infearno tries something_, he thought, _I can at least slow him down_.

"My turn! I draw!" Infearno said, drawing the top card of his deck. "Tell me, Raguel: Why didn't you summon Hercules, your beloved ace monster? Is there some part of you that's afraid of me destroying him again, just like I did in our last duel?"

"You let Hercules get destroyed?!" Herald said, turning to Raguel. "That's one of my favorite cards, you know!"

"There was nothing I could do to save him at the time, Herald." Raguel responded. He then directed his attention to Infearno. "And to answer your question, I'm simply playing it smart. After all, like Lord Kazuma and Dancho, you are a threat. One that can become dangerous if I'm not careful."

"An interesting answer." Infearno replied. "Lets see how it holds up." He looked at his cards for a brief moment. "I activate the Field Spell card, Dis, City of the Burning Abyss!" Hellish fire briefly surrounded the Duel Field before dissipating. "Now all 'Burning Abyss' monsters I control cannot be destroyed by their own card effects, nor can they be targeted by other card effects! Next, I activate the Spell card, Pre-Preparation of Rites! Not only does this card let me add a Ritual Spell card from my deck to my hand, I can also add a Ritual Monster from my deck or Graveyard to my hand whose name is listed on that Ritual Spell!" Two cards popped out of Infearno's deck, which he added to his hand.

"I activate the Ritual Spell card, Good and Evil in the Burning Abyss! This card lets me tribute monsters from my hand or field whose combined levels equal or exceed that of the stated Ritual Monster, and then summon it from my hand. I tribute the Level 3 Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and the Level 3 Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my hand."

A dark red magic circle with six flames appeared on his field, along with Graff and Scarm. Both demonic creatures disintegrated into light and entered the center of the circle, which emitted a pillar of dark red light.

"The contract's been made!" Infearno chanted, his Duel Disk's screen and black sections glowing dark red. "Demonic leader residing in the eighth circle of Hell! Accept these two sacrifices and serve your master! Ritual Summon! Rise, Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss!" A red-skinned demon in blue armor soon emerged from the portal and onto Infearno's field. It wielded two swords, one blue and one red, and also had a tail resembling a dragon's head.

**Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2700 DEF: 2000 LV: 6**

"Remember me, boy?" Malacoda asked Raguel, as he brandished his swords. "I look forward to making you suffer!"

"Your monsters can talk?!" Herald exclaimed, shocked at what he just saw and heard. "Raguel, did you know of this?"

"I learned of this before we met, Herald." Raguel answered. "Honestly, I hate these demons with all my being."

"This surprises you, Ignis?" Infearno asked Herald, getting his attention. "Considering how your little pet cub can talk, what you're seeing is proof that the impossible is the possible that is yet to be discovered."

Upon hearing what Infearno just said, Hideki's eyes widened. _Hang on_, he thought. _I heard that phrase before. But who said it?_ Come to think of it, the man in front of everyone looked familiar. Very familiar. Unless...

"You better start talking, Infearno!" Herald said in anger. "How are your monsters talking? Did you input data material from the Cyberse into them?!"

"If I told you, then you'd be surprised. Or angry. Or both. Whatever the result, it works in my favor." Infearno cryptically responded. "Let's get back to the duel, shall we? I activate the effects of Graff from my Graveyard! Since Graff was sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a 'Burning Abyss' monster from my deck! Serve me, Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A muscular demon resembling a bull with grey blue skin and broken blue horns snorted upon being summoned to Infearno's field.

**Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1600 DEF: 1200 LV: 3**

"At your humble service, master." Cir said, ready for battle.

"That's good to hear, Cir." Infearno told the demon. "I summon Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my hand." A winged demon with no arms and long white hair soon joined Infearno's field.

**Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 DEF: 1900 LV: 3**

"Ah, Cir!" Farfa said. "Great to see you again! It's been a while since we last chatted, hasn't it?"

"We can chat once we grind this puny human to the dust!" Cir replied, causing Farfa to sigh.

"Man, it's all work and no breaks for you, isn't it?"

"Appear, the circuit of blood and death!" Infearno declared, as a Link Portal opened in the sky above him. "The summoning conditions are two Level 3 monsters. I'll set Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning into the Link Markers!" Cir went into the bottom-left arrowhead, while Farfa went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 2! Geryon, Steed of the Burning Abyss!" An enormous, demonic armored horse with black skin galloped onto Infearno's field, in the right Extra Monster Zone. The horse had glowing blue horns on its head, along with a mane of blue fire. Its hoofs were also alit with blue fire.

**Geryon, Steed of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1600 LINK-2** ↙️↘️

"Prepare to fall before my might!" Geryon screeched, as it reared on its hind legs for a brief moment.

"Okay, that's a new one." Raguel muttered, upon seeing Geryon. _I expected him to Link Summon Cherubini_, he thought. _Looks like he made some upgrades since our previous duels._

"The effects of Cir and Farfa both activate!" Infearno said. "First, since Cir was sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one 'Burning Abyss' monster from my Graveyard! Return, Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A draconic fiend with wings and claws emerged from a fiery portal and onto Infearno's field. Upon seeing Raguel, it licked its lips, eager to sink its teeth into him.

**Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 DEF: 1500 LV: 3**

"Second, since Farfa was sent to the Graveyard, I can target one monster on the field and banish it until the End Phase!"

"Shit!" Raguel cursed. He was not expecting this at all.

"I target Cyreath Minotaur." Infearno decided, as he fired a hellish blast of energy from his hand at Minotaur, causing him to vanish from the field. "And since Pseudo no longer points to Minotaur, it loses its attack boost."

**Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 1800 – 1800 = 0**

"It's time to battle! Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss attacks Cyreath Pseudo!" Graff lunged at Pseudo, sinking its teeth into the watery spirit before ripping it to shreds. Raguel grit his teeth as his life points dropped.

**Raguel: 4000 – 1000 = 3000 LP**

"Attack him directly, Malacoda! Abysmal Destruction!"

"Oh, this is going to feel great!" Malacoda said, as its swords lit up on fire. The demon then charged at Raguel, but...

"Not so fast, Infearno!" Raguel interrupted. "Trap card, activate! Cyreath Petrification!" The card showed a woman with very long, light-purple hair and wearing an eye cover firing a petrification beam at Goblin Attack Force, turning them to stone. "When this card is activated, not only can I negate the attack, I can reduce your monsters attack points to zero and negate its effects until the end of my next turn!"

"Hmph." Infearno replied, as Cyreath Petrification fired a beam at Malacoda, temporarily turning it into stone. "No matter. Geryon, Steed of the Burning Abyss attacks you directly! Wild Charge!"

"Take this, boy!" Geryon said, running at full speed towards Raguel!

"Raguel, do something!" Herald panicked.

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Cyreath Providence!" Raguel said, gesturing to one of his face-down cards. The card showed Cyreath Hercules jumping out of nowhere to protect Cyreath Archer, Icarus, and Gargoyle from an army of Cyreath Shades. "When this card is activated, immediately after this effect resolves, I can Link Summon one 'Cyreath' Link Monster by shuffling 'Cyreath' monsters from my Graveyard to my deck and/or Extra Deck!" He pointed to the sky. "Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters. I'll shuffle Cyreath Pseudo, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Beastmaster into my deck and Extra Deck to set them into the Link Markers!" One blast of energy went out of Raguel's Graveyard and into the top arrowhead, while the other one went into the bottom-arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Ride into battle! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the right Extra Monster Zone. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"I expected you to do that, Raguel!" Infearno suddenly exclaimed, a malicious smirk on his face. "I activate Geryon's effect! Since its pointing to a 'Burning Abyss' monster, it can attack you directly, but any battle damage you take is halved!" Geryon jumped over Chariot Commander and into a blue portal that materialized out of nowhere.

"Where'd he go?" Herald asked. The next thing Raguel and Herald knew, Geryon appeared out of the blue portal on their right side and rammed into them, causing them to fall to the ground.

**Raguel: 3000 – (1600 / 2) = 2200 LP**

"In that case, I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Infearno concluded. "At this point, the effect of Farfa ends, while Scarm's effect activates. First, your Cyreath Minotaur returns to your field." Minotaur reappeared on Raguel's field, only in the Main Monster Zone. It was clear that it was angry with Infearno for what he did.

**Cyreath Minotaur ATK: 1800 LINK-2** ➡️⬇️

"Second, since Scarm was sent to the Graveyard this turn, I get to add a Level 3 Dark Fiend monster from my deck to my hand." A card popped out of Infearno's deck, which he added to his hand. "In just one turn, I almost halved your life points, Raguel. If you can't bounce back from something as minor as this, I don't think you'll have the strength to protect those you care about."

"Shut up!" Raguel replied, standing back up. "This duel's just getting started, and just like before, I'll kick your ass."

"Is that so?" Infearno inquired. Soon, streams of energy from the Duel Field briefly appeared before going into the device behind him.

"Energy levels increased by 35%," the device said.

"We better finish him quickly." Herald advised Raguel. "Otherwise, we'll lose World Gears."

"Right!" Raguel agreed with him. "My turn! I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck. "I activate the Spell card, Pandora's Box! This card lets me draw until I have five cards in my hand. However, I must discard a 'Cyreath' monster from my hand at the end of my turn, or I'll take 2000 points of damage." He then drew the top five cards of his deck.

"Judging from the cards we got," Herald said, briefly looking at them before going back to the Duel Field, "and the two monsters on our field, I think we can make a comeback."

"Obviously." Raguel replied. "I summon Cyreath Barbarian from my hand!" A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal soon appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters with different names! I'll set Cyreath Minotaur, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Barbarian, into the Link Markers!" Minotaur split into two and went into the top and bottom arrowheads, while Barbarian went into the left arrowhead, turning them red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Go wild and smash everything in your way! Link 3! Cyreath Erymanthian Boar!" A bulky, massively built suidae with short and relatively thin legs jumped onto Raguel's field in the Main Monster Zone Chariot Commander pointed to, resulting in the both of them being co-linked with one another. It had brown fur with light green elements all over its body, along with a mane of dark fur. It also had four tusks at the front of its head. While the two biggest ones were long and curved inward, the two small ones were hooked slightly forward.

**Cyreath Erymanthian Boar ATK: 2500 LINK-3 **⬅️⬆️⬇️

"At this point, the effects of Chariot Commander, Erymanthian Boar, Barbarian, and Minotaur activate!" Raguel explained. "I'll first use Chariot Commander's effect. When a monster is summoned to a zone this card points to, I can destroy one card you control! And I'll choose Dis, City of the Burning Abyss!" Chariot Commander threw a fireball at Dis, City of the Burning Abyss, destroying the Field Spell card completely.

"I now activate Erymanthian Boar's effect! While its co-linked, both it and the monsters it's co-linked with gain 500 attack points. They also can't be targeted by card effects either!" Erymanthian Boar snorted as it and Chariot Commander were surrounded by a light-green aura, powering up.

**Cyreath Erymanthian Boar ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000 **

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 + 500 = 2500**

"Barbarian's effect! Since it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster gains 500 attack points!"

**Cyreath Erymanthian Boar ATK: 3000 + 500 = 3500**

"Last but not least, I activate Minotaur's effect!" Raguel continued. "Since it was used as a Link Material for a Link Summon of a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, this turn, it can attack all monsters you control once each!"

Infearno's eyes widened in shock upon hearing this. _So Raguel's acquired some new skills since we last met_, he thought. _His duels against Lord Kazuma and Dancho have evolved him further as a duelist. But I'll be the one to end him!_

"Way to go, Raguel!" Herald cheered. "We can finish the duel this turn!"

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Erymanthian Boar first attacks Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss!" Erymanthian Boar charged forward at Graff, but...

"Continuous-Trap card, Chains of the Burning Abyss!" Infearno interjected. The card showed the ruler of Hell, Lucifer himself, summoning chains to bind Dante and Virgil in place, a wicked smile on his face. "When a monster you control attacks, I can tribute one 'Burning Abyss' monster I control to prevent it from attacking while this card is on the field. I tribute Malacoda!" The petrified Malacoda exploded into particles, which went into the card. Soon, blazing chains emerged from Chains of the Burning Abyss and wrapped themselves around Erymanthian Boar, stopping it from running and making it squirm in the process.

"We just had him!" Herald cursed, clearly upset that Infearno got away.

"Oh come now, Ignis." Infearno said. "I don't want this duel to end just yet. After all, there's still more I want to show you."

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Raguel concluded. "I also discard Cyreath Nymph from my hand to avoid the 2000 penalty for activating Pandora's box." He then sent Cyreath Nymph to his Graveyard.

"My turn! I draw!" Infearno said. Suddenly, more wisps of energy emerged from the Duel Field and went straight into the device.

"Energy levels at 50%," the device said.

"Looks like you're running out of time, Raguel." Infearno then looked at the card in his hand. "I activate the Spell card, Card of Sanctity. Now each of us gets to draw until we have six cards in our hands." Both he and Raguel drew the top five cards of their respective decks. "I summon Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my hand." A pink-skinned demon with horns, wings, and a wooden staff appeared on Infearno's field.

**Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 100 DEF: 2100 LV: 3**

"Crap..." Raguel muttered.

"What is it, Raguel?" Herald asked out of concern.

"You're about to find out, Herald," was all Raguel told him.

"Level 3 Rubic tunes Level 3 Graff!" Infearno declared, as he smiled upon what was about to happen. A bolt of orange lightning struck him as the world greyed out and his two monsters disintegrated into particles. Two rings, one black and the other purple, appeared before turning blue and merging. Six blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to "6" as light surged through the rings.

"The poet's guide through Hell and Purgatory!" Infearno chanted. "Return to the earth once more and guide the traveler in his quest! Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 6! Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss!" A man in a white tunic, brown vest, and large hat emerged from the light. He carried a large golden guitar with blue flames spouting from the ends in his hands. As Virgil was summoned to the left Main Monster Zone Geryon was pointing to, he strung a few chords on his guitar.

**Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2500 DEF: 1000 LV: 6**

"I activate Graff's effect! Since it was sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a 'Burning Abyss' monster from my deck! Emerge, Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A grey skinned demon with wings, claws, three spiked horns, and long black hair soon joined Infearno's field.

**Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1500 DEF: 300 LV: 3**

"I activate Virgil's effect!" Infearno continued. "By discarding a 'Burning Abyss' card, I can target one card on your field or in your Graveyard, and shuffle it back into your deck! Since I can't target your monsters due to your Erymanthian Boar, I'll discard Draghig, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to return the face-down card on your right back into your deck!" Virgil strummed several chords and blasted the face-down card with blue fire, disintegrating it completely.

"Damn it..." Raguel muttered.

"There goes one of our cards." Herald lamented.

"Draghig's effect activates!" Infearno added. "As it was sent to the Graveyard, I can choose one 'Burning Abyss' card from my deck and place it right on top of it!" After contemplating for a few moments, he chose a card, which went straight to the top.

"I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Rise of the Burning Abyss!" The card showed Malacoda with Graff, Cir, Scarm, Rubic, Calcab, and Farfa roaring in triumph as they glowed with fiery energy. At the background was the shadow of Lucifer, who was responsible for giving them power. "All 'Burning Abyss' monsters on my field gain 500 attack points while this card is on the field!" Geryon, Cagna, and Virgil were soon surrounded with fiery energy.

**Geryon, Steed of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1600 + 500 = 2100 **

**Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000**

**Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1100 + 500 = 1600**

"It's time to battle, Raguel!" Infearno declared, a smile on his face. "Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss attacks your Cyreath Chariot Commander! Hell's Rhapsody!" Virgil strummed his guitar and blasted orange fire, which was headed straight for Chariot Commander!

"I activate the Trap card, Cyreath Resolve!" Raguel said. "By banishing a 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard, my monster is not destroyed, and any battle damage I take is cut in half this turn. I banish Cyreath Beastmaster!" A brief veil surrounded Chariot Commander, protecting him from the orange fire. Despite the veil, Raguel still had to put his arms in front of him to protect himself from the embers that bounced off it.

**Raguel: 2200 – (500 / 2) = 1950 LP**

"Have you forgotten about Geryon's effect, Raguel?" Infearno reminded him. "Geryon, Steed of the Burning Abyss attacks you directly!" Geryon charged and went through a blue loop, briefly disappearing from the Duel Field.

"And have you forgotten that Cyreath Resolve halves _any_ battle damage I take for the turn?" Raguel countered back. The blue loop then reappeared on his left, as Geryon emerged right out of it. Raguel pulled out his sword and blocked Geryon's horns as they clashed with one another. Geryon then lifted its head up, breaking the struggle before hitting his opponent to the ground.

**Raguel: 1950 – ((2100 / 2) / 2) = 1425 LP**

"Raguel!" Rosetta cried out.

"Yuhiro. Are you there?" Roxy asked over the earpiece. "You're barely surviving out there, aren't you?"

"Yeah, no kidding Roxy." Raguel muttered back, as he used his sword to prop himself off the ground. _Half of my life points are already gone_, he thought. _Although he's gotten stronger, I have to defeat him for good!_

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Infearno concluded.

"You need to stop this madness!" Hideki said to Infearno, getting his attention. "I don't know what you or the other Knights of Hanoi want with World Gears, but it will only bring pain and despair onto innocent people!"

"Pain and despair, huh?" Infearno replied, thinking over what Hideki just said. "I'm fine with that."

"So you're fine with hurting innocents for whatever twisted goal you have?" Hideki asked in shock. "I'll tell you now, I won't let you!"

"And how do you plan on doing that? After all, you and your daughter are trapped."

Hideki then smirked, taking Infearno by surprise. "It's simple. If you don't stop right now, I'll tell the world of your connection to the Hanoi, _Emon Uchida_!" Except for Raguel, everyone's eyes widened upon hearing Infearno's identity. Even Roxy, who was watching the duel back in Café Matsuo, was caught off guard by this.

"Emon Uchida is Infearno this whole time." Roxy realized. Then a feeling of dread started forming in her stomach_. I think you probably made him angry, Mr. Kinoshita_, she thought.

"I didn't expect a dog of SOL Technologies to also figure out my identity." Infearno said through gritted teeth. "But you'll remain silent, or else the consequences will be on your head!" He made a fist with his right hand, as it glowed with blazing energy. Soon, the cages surrounding Rosetta and Hideki started glowing, scorching them with burn wounds.

"Rosetta! Hideki!" Raguel cried out, turning to face them. He turned back to Infearno. "Stop hurting them!"

"As long as Mr. Kinoshita keeps his trap shut, like the good dog he is, I'll see no need to hurt him nor his precious daughter." Infearno assured him. "Now, lets get back to the duel, shall we? After all, you're on the clock."

"Screw you!" Raguel said. "My turn! I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck.

"We have to free Erymanthian Boar first." Herald reminded him. "And thanks to Infearno's Card of Sanctity, our hand is refilled. Let's use this turn and inflict as much damage as possible on him."

Raguel nodded. "I activate Erymanthian Boar's second effect! Once per turn, I can target one 'Cyreath' monster in my Graveyard, except a Link Monster, and Special Summon it to a zone it points to. Come back, Cyreath Nymph!" A blue-skinned, four winged creature with two stubby legs and a small beak, along with a spiked tail, appeared on Raguel's field in the Main Monster Zone Erymanthian Boar was pointing to.

**Cyreath Nymph ATK: 1500 DEF: 1500 LV: 4**

"If Nymph is Normal or Special Summoned while I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster," Raguel explained, "I can destroy one Spell or Trap card on your field. And I choose Chains of the Burning Abyss!" Nymph flapped its wings, generating a small windstorm that blew Chains of the Burning Abyss off the field, turning it into particles. As a result, the chains restraining Erymanthian Boar disappeared.

"I activate the effect of Cyreath Doppelganger from my hand! Since I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A pale, shadowy man materialized itself on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Doppelganger ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

But just before Raguel could continue his turn, Progleo's head appeared underneath Herald.

"You want to beat up this meanie, right Progleo?" Herald asked the cub, to which he nodded.

"Don't worry Progleo." Raguel said. "I'll grant your wish." He pointed to the sky. "Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal soon appeared in the sky. "The summoning conditions are two monsters except Tokens! I'll Set Cyreath Nymph and Cyreath Doppelganger into the Link Markers!" Doppelganger went into the left arrowhead, while Nymph went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Progleo!" A white-furred cub with orange eyes emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Erymanthian Boar was pointing to, resulting in the both of them being co-linked with one another. The cub had a satellite dish around its neck, as well as an old video recorder on his back. He also had a small brace on each of its claws, and a small coil attached to his tail. Upon being summoned, Progleo barred his fangs at Infearno.

**Progleo ATK: 1000 LINK-2 **⬅️➡️

**Progleo ATK: 1000 + 500 = 1500**

"Make me proud, Progleo!" Herald cheered.

"I'm gonna rip you a new one!" Progleo growled at Infearno.

"I activate the Field Spell card, Cyreath Grand Hall!" Raguel said. "Now all 'Cyreath' monsters I control gain 200 attack points! I'll also use Grand Hall's second effect. Once per turn, I can target one 'Cyreath' Link Monster I control, and shuffle cards from my Graveyard into my deck equal to its Link Rating! I target Erymanthian Boar!" As Chariot Commander and Erymanthian Boar powered up, three cards popped out of Raguel's Graveyard, which he shuffled into his deck.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2500 + 200 = 2700**

**Cyreath Erymanthian Boar ATK: 3500 + 200 = 3700**

"I'll also summon Cyreath Shade from my hand." A grey-armored warrior from head to toe jumped onto Raguel's field. His helmet looked like that of an eerie ghost. Wisps of smoke emitted from his armor.

**Cyreath Shade ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

**Cyreath Shade ATK: 1000 + 200 = 1200**

"When Shade is Normal Summoned," Raguel explained, "I can target one face-up Spell or Trap card you control and Set it. You're not allowed to activate it in response until the End Phase. I target your Rise of the Burning Abyss!" Shade pointed his right hand at Rise of the Burning Abyss, causing the wisps of smoke to obscure Rise of the Burning Abyss completely. As a result, the fiery energy surrounding Virgil, Cagna, and Geryon temporarily dissipated.

"In other words," Herald said, "your monsters are back to their original strength."

Infearno, in response, did not react to Herald's comment.

**Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss ATK: 3000 – 500 = 2500**

**Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1600 – 500 = 1100**

**Geryon, Steed of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2100 – 500 = 1600**

"Appear, for a second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a second Link Portal appeared over his head. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters, including a 'Cyreath' Link Monster! I'll set Cyreath Chariot Commander, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Shade into the Link Markers!" Chariot Commander split into two tornadoes of energy that went into the top and bottom arrowheads, while Shade went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Bewitch those that dare gaze upon you! Link 3! Cyreath Rider!" A woman with very long, light-purple hair jumped out of the Link Portal and appeared on Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone, resulting in her and Erymanthian Boar being co-linked with one another. She wore a short, black dress with violet lines that covered her waist. She also had black sleeves with four violet chokers across her arms, along with high-stockings and boots. Her eyes were covered by a violet eye cover, with two silver straps on it. In her right hand, she carried a long chain with a dagger at the end of it.

**Cyreath Rider ATK: 2300 LINK-3** ⬆️⬇️↘️

**Cyreath Rider ATK: 2300 + 500 + 200 = 3000 **

"Very well done." Infearno praised Raguel. "Two strong Link 3 monsters and a Link 2 monster. All co-linked together."

"I don't need your praise!" Raguel responded. "All I need is for you to get lost!" He thrusted out his right hand along with Herald. "Battle! Progleo attacks Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss! Playful Pounce!" Progleo ran forward and lunged at Cagna, destroying the demon and turning it into particles.

**Infearno: 4000 – 400 = 3600 LP**

"Cagna's effect activates!" Infearno said. "Since it was sent to the Graveyard, I can send one 'Burning Abyss' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my Graveyard!" A card popped out of Infearno's deck, which he took and sent to his Graveyard.

"Cyreath Rider attacks Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss!" Raguel said, continuing the battle. "Bloody Lash!" Rider's chain and dagger were coated in blood, before she whipped it at Virgil. However...

"How ignorant of you!" Infearno said. "Trap card, activate! Suffering in the Burning Abyss! This card-!"

"Is not going to help you!" Raguel suddenly finished. "Rider's effect! Once per turn, during either player's turn, when you activate a card effect, I can negate and destroy it! Go, Gorgon's Break!" Rider temporarily took off her violet eye cover and blasted a beam of light at Suffering in the Burning Abyss, turning it into stone and making it crumble into pebbles. "Did you really expect me to fall for the same trick twice? Resume your attack, Rider!" Rider then sped forward and sliced and diced Virgil, causing him pain before turning into yellow particles.

"Virgil, no!" Infearno screamed, as his life points dropped.

**Infearno: 3600 – 500 = 3100 LP**

"I activate Virgil's second effect! Since he was destroyed by battle or card effect, I can draw one card from my deck!" Infearno then drew the top card of his deck.

"You're up, Erymanthian Boar!" Raguel said. "Attack Geryon, Steed of the Burning Abyss!" Erymanthian Boar charged forward and pointed its tusks at Geryon, stabbing them into Geryon's body and causing the horse to fall to the ground before being destroyed.

**Infearno: 3100 – 2100 = 1000 LP**

"Way to go, Yuhiro!" Roxy said over the earpiece. "Just a little more to go!"

"Yes!" Herald cheered. "Now we're the ones in the lead!"

"You got this, Raguel!" Rosetta told him.

"It's... not over yet, boy." Infearno interrupted the momentary celebration. "I activate the Trap card, The Traveler and the Burning Abyss! I can target any number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters that were sent to the Graveyard this turn and Special Summon them back in defense position! Return, Virgil and Cagna!" Two fiery portals appeared on Infearno's field, which Cagna and Virgil jumped right out of.

**Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1500 DEF: 300 LV: 3**

**Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2500 DEF: 1000 LV: 6**

"Yeah, but it doesn't change the fact we're in the lead, bub!" Herald replied. Raguel rolled his eyes at that comment.

"Taunting him is not going to help the situation at hand, Herald." Raguel told him. He then redirected his attention back to the duel at hand. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." The next thing he and Herald knew, more wisps of energy emerged and went into the device.

"Energy levels at 65%," the device said.

"My turn! I draw!" Infearno said, drawing the top card of his deck. "Once again, I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Rise of the Burning Abyss, which grants all 'Burning Abyss' monsters on my field 500 attack points!"

"You forgot about Cyreath Rider's effect!" Raguel responded. "Once per turn, during either player's turn, I can negate and destroy it! Gorgon's Break!" Rider temporarily took off her violet eye cover and blasted a beam of light at Rise of the Burning Abyss, turning it into stone and making it crumble into pebbles. But to Raguel and Herald's surprise, Infearno laughed.

"You fell for the second effect of Rise of the Burning Abyss, boy!" Infearno exclaimed. "Since this face-up card was destroyed by your card effect, I can draw cards equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters I control, with a maximum of five!" He then drew the top two cards of his deck.

"Great." Herald moaned. "He found a way to get more cards."

"I summon Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A demonic centaur with wings soon joined Infearno's field.

**Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1400 DEF: 0 LV: 3**

"Appear, the network of suffering!" Infearno declared, as his hand glowed red and a galaxy portal appeared in the sky above the duelists. "Materials confirmed! The summoning conditions are two Level 3 monsters! I overlay the Level 3 Calcab and Cagna!" Both demons turned into streams of purple and grey energy and entered the portal, where a pillar of light soon erupted from its center.

"Xyz Summon! Begin your adventure through the depth of Hell! Rank 3! Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss!" A man with long, dark blue hair in a ponytail was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Infearno's field. He wore red clothing, a laurel on his head, and a small bag on both sides of his body. On the right side of his body was a small, sheathed sword.

**Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 DEF: 2500 RNK: 3 OU: 2**

"I activate Dante's effect! By detaching one Overlay Unit, I can choose a number from one to three, and send that many cards from the top of my deck to the Graveyard. And by doing this, Dante gains 500 attack points for each card sent from the top of my deck to the Graveyard until the End Phase! I'll send three cards so that Dante gains 1500 attack points!" Infearno sent the top three cards of his deck to the Graveyard, while one of the lights behind Dante went into his fist, boosting his power temporarily.

**Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss OU: 2 – 1 = 1**

**Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1000 + 1500 = 2500**

"Calcab's effect! Since it was sent to the Graveyard, I can target one Set Spell or Trap card you control and return it to your hand! I choose the left one!" A blast of light erupted from Infearno's Graveyard and hit Raguel's face-down card, returning it to his hand.

Raguel narrowed his eyes in frustration. This wasn't looking good at all.

"Why stop there, when I can activate Virgil's effect as well!" Infearno added. "By discarding a 'Burning Abyss' card, I can target one card on your field or in your Graveyard, and shuffle it back into your deck! I'll discard The Terminus of the Burning Abyss to shuffle your other face-down card back into your deck!" Virgil strummed several chords and blasted the face-down card with blue fire, disintegrating it completely.

"Raguel has no more face-down cards left to help him!" Rosetta realized, upon looking at his field.

"You no longer have Spell or Trap cards to help you, Raguel." Infearno taunted him, as he thrusted out his right hand. "Battle! Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss attacks your precious Progleo!" Before Progleo could react, Dante pulled out his sword and slashed the cub, causing him to scream in pain before dying in a massive explosion.

"Progleo, no!" Herald lamented, as Raguel's eyes widened in shock at what Infearno just did, who had no regret whatsoever. Raguel was soon launched back to the ground from the explosion.

**Raguel: 1425 – 1000 = 425 LP**

"Since Dante attacked, I must change him to defense position." Dante returned to Infearno's field and took a kneeling stance beside Virgil. Infearno then took the remaining card in his hand and said, "I Set one card face-down and end my turn. As such, Dante's attack points go back to his original amount."

**Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss ATK: 2500 – 1500 = 1000**

"Even after enduring up until now, you're still powerless to save those you care about, Raguel. So just accept the ugly truth and surrender now."

"You're... wrong." Raguel muttered, as he slowly got up. "I am not giving up, nor am I powerless. I will continue to fight for those the Hanoi have already hurt, for those the Hanoi currently threaten, and... I'll fight to make sure she's safe, and happy again!"

"What interesting declarations, Raguel." Infearno said, a hand on his chin. "Tell me, are you fighting for _Miyu Sugisaki_ by any chance?"

Raguel's eyes widened upon hearing that question. He was starting to shake. Roxy was also staring at the monitor, shaking. "How... how do you know about that?" Raguel's voice was deathly low.

Infearno narrowed his eyes and smirked. "When I've theorized your identity, I wanted to absolutely make sure that my theory was correct. So I ended up searching all throughout Den City for camera recordings and compared them to you in LINK VRAINS. And eventually, I found what I was looking for." He then pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk, and soon, a blue screen appeared in front of him, showing a video recording at the Den City Hospital.

Raguel instantly recognized that recording. It was when Roxy was tired, and he volunteered to visit Miyu in her place for the night.

"Hey Miyu," the recording of Yuhiro said to the long, red-haired girl. "It's me. It's Yuhiro." After a few seconds, the recording of Yuhiro continued talking. "I brought you flowers." He placed them in the water glass near her bed. "Roxy says hi, you know. She... she misses you." Yuhiro struggled to get that last part out.

Satisfied with Raguel's reaction, Infearno turned off the recording.

"Dad... do you know who this Miyu is?" Rosetta asked Hideki.

"I don't know." Hideki answered, turning to face Rosetta. "But from what we're seeing, she's someone who's really important to Raguel."

_Someone who's important to someone else_, Rosetta recalled in her mind. As a result of her mother's death, Hideki, who was important to her, couldn't be there when she needed him. This led Rosetta to run away from home, where she eventually encountered Ace in LINK VRAINS. For six years, she thought he filled the void, but after seeing her father willing to start over regardless of what she did, it led to their reconciliation.

Raguel was in shock, a thousand thoughts running through his head. But out of all those thoughts, a single one stood out: pure rage. This man in front of him dared to threaten Miyu?!

"Infearno..." Raguel muttered, his head facing the ground. "You... dare threaten Miyu?!" He raised his head and glared at the older man. "Leave her and my friends alone!"

Infearno smiled. "Yes, that's it, boy. Embrace your rage, and let it consume you!"

"Yuhiro, listen to me!" Roxy pleaded, succeeding in getting her own anger under control. "He wants you to get angry and make mistakes."

"Yeah!" Herald agreed with her, trying to reason with Raguel. "If you let your emotions control you, then you won't be able to control your powers!"

"I. Don't. Care!" Raguel snarled back, before letting out a shout and unleashing a burst of hazy, white energy around him. Soon, he was surrounded by that same energy, with the translucent shadow of an angel from before floating behind him.

When Raguel looked at Infearno, his eyes now glowed burning red.

"Oh dear." Herald muttered, retreating into the Duel Disk. "Desperate times call for desperate measures." Rosetta and Hideki, who just saw what happened, were filled with horror as well.

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said in a deep, echoing voice, as he drew the top card of his deck. "I summon Cyreath Legionnaire from my hand!" A muscular man in golden armor, shin pads, braces, and helmet with red feathers appeared on Raguel's field. He carried a small sword and massive shield.

**Cyreath Legionnaire** **ATK: 1700 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

**Cyreath Legionnaire ATK: 1700 + 200 = 1900**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared in the sky, above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters! I'll Set Cyreath Rider, which is a Link 3 monster, and Cyreath Legionnaire into the Link Markers!" Rider split into three tornadoes of energy that went into the top, left, and right arrowheads, while Legionnaire went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The Embodiment of Truth is given to mankind! Link 4! Turboblaze Dragon!" A white-color bipedal dragon with blue irises and black pupils, as well as a long and slender neck roared as he emerged from the Link Portal to the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field, resulting in him and Erymanthian Boar being co-linked with one another. He had a long, voluminous wispy mane streaming out from the upper side of his snout and outwards from his head, with two protrusions resembling ears on the top of the mane. His arms were slender and arm-like with a wing-like appearance and four fingers on his claws. He had a feathered chest, with long feather-like protrusions jutting out of his thighs. On his feet were large grey claws, three at the front and one positioned at the back to resemble high heels. He also had a jet engine-like tail, with two large bands similar to the front and ribbon like extensions.

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 LINK-4** ⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️

**Turboblaze Dragon ATK: 3000 + 500 = 3500**

"I activate Turboblaze Dragon's first effect!" Raguel continued. "When he's Link Summoned, the effects of all monsters you control are negated! Heat Veil!" The jet engine-like tail that Turboblaze had soon began to charge up before he unleashed waves of volcanic energy at Dante and Virgil, covering both of them in scorch marks.

"In addition, Legionnaire's effect activates! Since it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster can inflict piercing battle damage this turn!"

_Good_, Infearno thought. _Almost there_.

"Time to battle!" Raguel declared. "Erymanthian Boar first attacks Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss!" Erymanthian Boar charged forward, its tusks pointing at Virgil before using them to stab him. As a result, he turned into yellow particles and vanished from the field.

"Virgil's effect!" Infearno said. "Just like before, I can draw one card from my deck since he was destroyed by battle or card effect!" He drew the top card of his deck.

"It's time to finish this!" Raguel continued. "Turboblaze Dragon attacks Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss! Desolation Flare!" The jet engine-like tail glowed orange with power as Turboblaze flew up into the air and charged up an orb of orange fire. After gathering enough energy, Turboblaze fired it at Dante. "Turboblaze's additional effect! If this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you take damage equal to the destroyed monsters attack points!"

KABOOM!

The ball of fire hit Dante upon impact, enveloping him and Infearno in a fiery blast.

"It's over, Infearno!" Raguel told him. "This duel, and any plans you've had, are forever finished!"

But to Raguel's shock and horror, Infearno was still standing along with Dante. In addition, his life points did not drop at all!

"Ever the fool, boy." Infearno reprimanded him, as he crossed his arms. "And forever condemned to fail!" Immediately, wisps of energy emerged from the Duel Field and went into the device.

"Energy levels at 88%," the device said.

"How did you survive that attack?!" Raguel demanded.

"Simple. I activated the Quick-Play Spell card, Command Silencer." Infearno stated. "Not only does this negate your attack, I get to draw one card from my deck." He drew the top card of his deck.

Raguel grit his teeth in anger. "You... deceived me..."

"I'm afraid you deceived yourself." Infearno responded, laughing to himself. "You honestly think you can protect the people important in your life? Wrong! No matter how much you fight back, you can't protect _anyone_!"

"Okay, I'm back." Herald said, emerging from Raguel's Duel Disk. "What did I-?" He looked at the Duel Field before turning to Raguel, who was in a state of shock. "Raguel, please tell me what happened."

"I... I let my emotions control me..." Raguel realized in his own voice, as the words Infearno told him sunk in his mind. The aura surrounding him then dissipated, and his eyes returned to their normal, grey color. "I... I cost us the duel..."

"Don't say that." Herald replied, getting his attention. "You still got two cards you can use. We can still make a comeback!"

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Raguel concluded, although hesitantly.

"My turn! I draw!" Infearno said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I activate the Spell card, Monster Reborn. This card lets me Special Summon one monster from either of our Graveyards to my field. Return, Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" At Infearno's command, the demonic centaur with wings reappeared on his field.

**Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1400 DEF: 0 LV: 3**

"I summon Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!" A demon with long wings, a white visor covering his eyes, and shoulder-length white hair flew onto Infearno's field. A piece of demonic breastplate armor with teeth and eyes covered his upper chest. Chains were wrapped around his forearms, and pieces of white fur were on his shoulders and legs.

**Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss ATK: 1200 DEF: 0 LV: 3**

"Appear, the circuit of blood and death!" A Link Portal appeared above Infearno. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Burning Abyss' monsters! I'll set Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss into the Link Markers!" Dante went into the bottom arrowhead, Calcab went into the bottom-left arrowhead, and Alich went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! O Guardian of Hell, grant me the power to punish my enemies, and burn them all to the ground! Link 3! Phlegyas, Guardian of the Burning Abyss!" A demonic giant standing eight feet in height emerged from the Link Portal to the right Extra Monster Zone on Infearno's field. He had massive feet with small spikes on his thighs, along with muscular arms. Over his magma-hardened body were more spikes, along with cracks around his head that were glowing. On top of his head was a large crown, and at the sides were two curved horns. Phlegyas' eyes glowed bright orange as he roared at Raguel.

**Phlegyas, Guardian of the Burning Abyss ATK: 3000 LINK-3** ↙️⬇️↘️

_Infearno's Link Monster is just as strong as Cyreath Hades_, Raguel thought, upon looking at Phlegyas. _But if I can hold out for this turn…._

"When Phlegyas is Link Summoned," Infearno explained, "I can destroy cards you control equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters I used as Link Material! Since I used three 'Burning Abyss' monsters, I can destroy three cards. Therefore, I'll destroy your Turboblaze Dragon and Erymanthian Boar, along with the face-down card on the right! Hellish Firaga!"

"What?!" Raguel exclaimed in shock, as Phlegyas fired three fireballs from his hands, which burned Turboblaze, Erymanthian Boar, and the face-down card on his right.

"Our monsters are gone, just like that!" Herald exclaimed.

"Calcab's effect!" Infearno said. "Since it was sent to the Graveyard, I can target one Set Spell or Trap card you control and return it to your hand! I choose your remaining face-down card!" The last card on Raguel's field exploded into particles and returned to Raguel's hand.

"But without that card..." Hideki began.

"Raguel's defenseless." Rosetta finished for him.

"Battle!" Infearno declared. "Phlegyas, Guardian of the Burning Abyss attacks you directly, Raguel! Hellfire of Rage!" Phlegyas' hands glowed as he raised them high in the air, causing the ground underneath Raguel and Herald to heat up. The next thing they knew, they were engulfed by the erupted inferno, causing them to scream in a lot of pain for several seconds before it dissipated. Soon after, Raguel fell to the ground in a state of unconsciousness.

**Raguel: 425 – 3000 = 0**

"Yuhiro, NO!" Roxy screamed, shocked by seeing Raguel lose against Infearno.

"Raguel!" Rosetta cried out to him, while Hideki was just shocked at what they saw. Immediately, wisps of energy emerged from the Duel Field and went into the device.

"Energy levels at 100%," the device said, before unleashing a blast of energy that penetrated the barrier surrounding World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy.

"As I told you earlier," Infearno said, walking over to Raguel, "you can't protect _anyone_. Not Miyu, not Rosetta or Mr. Kinoshita, nor anyone else for that matter." His right hand started glowing as he pointed it to Raguel and Herald. "Your journey ends... _now_." He then fired demonic energy at them, intent on capturing Herald for good...

...But upon seeing that Herald was in trouble, World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy released two wisps of energy that went into the Ignis, healing him from his wounds and waking him up.

"GET BACK!" Herald said, thrusting out his hands in front of him and using all the strength he had. As a result, he unleashed a barrier that pushed Infearno back to the other side of the room.

"How?!" Infearno exclaimed, caught off guard by what happened. He then turned to World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy upon putting two and two together. "YOU MEDDLESOME CREATURE!" Infearno then blasted demonic energy at World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy, making it scream in pain before finally turning it into multi-colored particles. The particles then went into the device, which stored the card.

"World Gears of Theurological Demiurgy safely absorbed," the device said. "Commencing transfer now." In seconds, Infearno received a notification on his Duel Disk, indicating that he got the card.

"World Gears, no!" Herald cried out, stricken with grief at seeing what Infearno just did. "Give it back right now!"

"I think not, Ignis." Infearno replied, turning to face Herald, along with everyone else. "If it weren't for Revolver's order, I'd kill you all myself. But that doesn't mean I can't cause _some_ collateral damage. Do it, Phlegyas! Hellfire of Rage!" Phlegyas roared as his hands glowed. Soon, to everyone's horror, except for Raguel, the entire ground underneath them started heating up, with cracks beginning to form.

But then out of nowhere, several tornadoes of cubic, orange energy appeared and stopped the ground from cracking. The other tornadoes then went through Phlegyas more than once, destroying the demonic giant and turning him into particles.

"STOP THIS!" Watchman exclaimed, as one of the tornadoes landed on the ground, which he emerged out of. "I shall not let you take World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy!"

"You came!" Herald cheered, looking at Watchman. "So happy you got my message. But what took you so long?"

Watchman briefly turned his head at Herald before firing a blast of cubic energy at the fiery cages, freeing Rosetta and Hideki.

"Who... who are you?" Hideki asked Watchman. "Are you Raguel's ally?"

"So nice of you to drop by, Watchman." Infearno interrupted. "It's been a long time since we chatted, hasn't it?"

"We may be on opposite sides, but there's still time to do what's right." Watchman stated. He then extended out a hand to Infearno. "Hand World Gears over to me, Emon. There's more at stake than you realize."

"And what may that be, _Arshad_?" Infearno asked with a hint of venom. "The lives of innocent people caught in the crossfire? The ongoing 'Crisis' you keep preaching about to Raguel and his allies? Or... is there something more? Something you're keeping a secret." He smirked. "If you think I care about such things, you are mistaken. I have no heart."

Watchman glared at Infearno. "Then you leave me no choice." He activated his Duel Disk. "I'll have to take it back by force."

Infearno laughed at him. "I'm afraid that won't work." He then pressed a button on his Duel Disk, causing the device beside him to start beeping. "You can duel me for World Gears, or you can save everyone from this bomb. I am told the yield is quite impressive."

Rosetta then charged at Infearno, hellbent on punching him. Unfortunately, he caught the punch and threw her straight down to the ground easily.

"Rosetta!" Hideki cried out, running to his daughter.

"You have thirteen seconds." Infearno ominously warned Watchman, before logging out.

Wasting no time, Watchman released cubic energy from his hands, surrounding the device in a barrier before it blew up, reducing the explosion's range and preventing it from destroying the server.

"Are you okay?" Hideki asked Rosetta, offering her a hand.

"Yeah." Rosetta answered, accepting it and letting him pull her up. Noticing Raguel, she then ran over to him and tired to wake him up. "Raguel! Wake up! Are you there?"

"He's still alive." Watchman told her, as he walked to where she was. "But he'll have to log out and recover for a bit." Kneeling down to Raguel's level, he logged him out of the server before turning to Rosetta. "So, I heard you were the one who stole the Cyberse cards, am I correct?"

"You are." Rosetta admitted truthfully. "But be assured: I intend on getting them back." Watchman narrowed his eyes at her, causing her to look down at the ground in shame.

"Please, sir." Hideki interrupted. "Give my daughter a chance to make up for what she's done. Part of what's happened is my fault, as not only did I create World Gears, I pushed Rosetta away."

"Which led to the events that occurred." Watchman finished for Hideki, standing up. "Whether you like it or not, you're both a part of something bigger now. We'll be in touch." He then logged out in a flash of cubic energy.

Knowing there was nothing else that can be done right now, Rosetta and Hideki logged out as well.

_At Café Matsuo, in the backroom..._

Yuhiro walked out of the closed-off space, breathing hard and limping, with tears running down his cheeks. He would have fallen over had Roxy not ran over to catch him.

"It's okay..." Roxy told him, as she put his arm around her shoulder. "It's okay... You did your best." She then led him slowly out of the backroom and upstairs to the living room. Once they made it there, Roxy helped him sit down on the couch.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Yuhiro suddenly said, feeling a sharp pain all over his body. "I forgot Infearno's 'Burning Abyss' monsters dealt _real_ pain." He stood up, but slowly to ensure he got his balance.

"No kidding." Roxy agreed. "I mean, you were consumed by hellfire in that duel. How much of it hurt your-?" She gasped upon seeing the burn marks all over Yuhiro's body. "Good lord. It's a cold shower for you, mister."

After helping Yuhiro walk to the bathroom (and ensuring that he didn't fall over in the process), he took the coldest shower ever, while Roxy and Herald waited outside of the bathroom with a fresh change of clothes.

"You remember what you told me, Roxy? The warning you gave me a while back?" Yuhiro asked her, as he opened the door slightly, letting Roxy slip the fresh clothes to him quickly.

"That no matter how skilled you were, you'll eventually face someone you can't beat?" Roxy recalled, as Yuhiro exited the washroom.

"Yeah. It definitely applied here." Yuhiro admitted. "Even after using everything I had against Infearno, he still beat me."

"Let's go to the living room and talk." Roxy said, helping Yuhiro walk downstairs and back to the living room. Once the two of them sat down on opposite couches, Roxy was the first to speak.

"Okay, so let's go over what happened. You and Herald went with Mr. Kinoshita and Rosetta to acquire World Gears after dinner."

"The next thing we know, Infearno was somehow already in the server." Herald interrupted, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "He and Yuhiro dueled, and while we were able to hold our own, in the end, he beat us."

"That pretty much sums it up." Yuhiro said, a despondent look on his face. "What pisses me off is that he not only knows my identity, he also knows about Miyu. If anything, Infearno learned about your connection with her as well, Roxy."

Roxy crossed her arms. "That bastard... At least we know he's really Emon Uchida, though."

"Am I cursed?" Yuhiro suddenly asked, looking at his hands. More tears started to run down his cheeks. "During the duel, I couldn't control my anger, and ended up unleashing my powers. As a result, I couldn't think clearly, for all I wanted to do was just... rip Infearno apart. If I can't control my powers, am I able to really protect anyone... or am I doomed to fail?"

Seeing Yuhiro starting to break down, Roxy walked over to where he was and sat down beside him before pulling him in for a hug.

"It's normal to be uncertain of yourself." Roxy told him. "Not just that, but to be scared as well. What you're feeling is totally normal. We'll figure this out one day at a time."

Yuhiro released himself from the hug. "All right. Thanks. I guess I really needed to hear that."

"Perhaps we can ask Watchman." Roxy suggested. "After all, he might provide a clue as to-."

Suddenly, Yuhiro's Duel Disk started glowing, surprising everyone. The next thing they knew, a holographic image of Watchman appeared _beside_ Herald, giving him a scare.

"AAH!" Herald shrieked. "You could have warned me!"

"My apologies." Watchman said. "But this is urgent."

"Look, Watchman." Yuhiro began, picking up his Duel Disk. "I'm sorry for not retrieving World Gears." But before he could continue, Watchman interrupted him.

"We can't change the past, but we can change the future."

Yuhiro raised an eyebrow. "So, you're not upset with me?"

"I am upset. But there's no use in lamenting about what happened." Watchman answered. "All we can do is move forward."

"So I'm guessing you want us to keep an eye on the network over the next couple of days?" Roxy asked him.

"Correct. If something odd comes up, or you manage to detect World Gears, investigate immediately. I'll do the same with Percival and Demeter." He was about to end the call when Yuhiro spoke up.

"Wait. There's something I need to ask you." After Yuhiro turned to Roxy, who nodded her head in reassurance, he turned back to Watchman and asked, "These powers that have been appearing. Every time they appear, it's when I can't control my emotions. What exactly are they?"

Watchman thought about it for a few seconds before responding. "It's called Link Trigger."

"Link-what?"

"Each of the children from the Lost Incident carries a unique ability with them." Watchman explained. "Yours is called Link Trigger. It enhances your physical and mental abilities both inside and outside of a duel."

"Is that why Yuhiro doesn't act like himself sometimes?" Herald asked Watchman, to which he nodded.

"Precisely. The secret to mastering Link Trigger is full, mental control. If you exercise it enough, then it will be your greatest weapon." Watchman then noticed something. "We shall speak more on this later, when you have healed." The holographic image of him then disappeared.

"Remind me to _not_ share a space with a holographic image of somebody else." Herald told Yuhiro and Roxy, in which they laughed. "What? This duel disk is my home, and I don't want intruders invading it!"

Progleo then jumped out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk and onto Yuhiro's lap.

"You did good today, little buddy." Yuhiro said to the cub, ruffling his fur. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you during the duel."

"It's okay." Progleo replied, licking Yuhiro's face. "We'll get the meanie next time."

"In that case," Roxy said, standing up. "I think I'll-."

"No." Yuhiro said, stopping her. "I think I'm calling it a night." He then stood up and tried to walk upstairs. However, he would have fallen over had Roxy not ran over and caught him.

"You want some help?"

"No." Yuhiro answered. "I can manage." He then went slowly upstairs on his own to his bedroom, with Progleo following him. Roxy sighed as she went back to the nearby couch and sat on it. She then took off her glasses and started crying, having been overwhelmed with what transpired today.

Once he made it to his bedroom, Yuhiro literally fell on top of it, tired from everything that happened. He then sat up slowly on top of his bed, as Progleo jumped on it. Yuhiro let the cub rest on his lap, happy for the comfort Progleo was giving him. _Miyu_, he thought. _You are one of the most important people I care about in this world. Even though I failed you today_, _I won't stop fighting for you. This I promise. _Smiling to himself, Yuhiro finally closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

_Meanwhile, in the Hanoi Stronghold..._

Infearno looked at the World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy card in his hand, a look of satisfaction on his face. He was on a stairway above a massive hole, which continued to leak with data.

Within moments, Revolver materialized inside the Hanoi Stronghold and walked over to where Infearno was.

"Well done, Infearno." Revolver praised him. "You have brought honor to the Knights of Hanoi today. Consider all your failures forgiven as your reward."

"Thank you, Revolver." Infearno said, giving a slight bow. "Although there were a few complications, I managed to succeed in the end."

Revolver raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

"When I tried to capture Raguel's Ignis," Infearno began to explain, "World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy provided its remaining energy to it, preventing me from obtaining it. Also, Arshad appeared and attempted to stop me, but I luckily got away in the end."

"So Arshad appeared to try and help Raguel..." Revolver's father said, materializing into the Hanoi Stronghold beside his son. "It appears he can no longer see reason. We must deal with him."

"I couldn't agree more, Dr. Kogami." Infearno approved, addressing the old man by his name.

"You promised, remember father?" Revolver reminded Dr. Kogami, crossing his arms. "You said you would try to persuade him to re-join us, _old friend _to_ old friend_. Or are you going back on your word?"

Dr. Kogami sighed as he turned to Revolver. He then pressed the sides of his nose for a brief moment. "I do remember making that promise, Revolver. But as I told you before, we have to draw the line if he refuses to help us. Do you understand?"

Revolver nodded, aware of what needed to be done if Watchman continued to fight the Knights of Hanoi. "Yes, father."

"Good." He then turned to Infearno. "May I have World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy?"

"Of course." Infearno complied, pressing a few buttons on his Duel Disk. Once the card took physical form, he handed it over to the older man. In Dr. Kogami's right hand was World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy, while in his other hand was a small, red glowing cube.

"Ironic, is it not?" Dr. Kogami said, looking at World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy. "The very thing that aided the Ignis will now be their ruin." He then looked at the cube. "And with this cube, humanity will finally be freed from not only the Ignis, but of what lies _beyond_ the network."

Dr. Kogami then turned his palms and dropped both of them down into the depths of the hole. Soon, the light at the bottom of the hole started glowing a deep magenta, as a tentacled sphere of energy started absorbing data and expelling red electricity.

"Soon, my friends, humanity will be saved. This I promise..."

**Card Gallery**

_Cyreath Beastmaster (LV: 4/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 0/DEF: 1500)_

_Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from your hand. You can only use this effect of 'Cyreath Beastmaster' once per turn. _

_Rise of the Burning Abyss (Continuous-Spell card)_

_Effect: While this card is on your field, 'Burning Abyss' monsters you control gain 500 ATK. If this face-up card is destroyed by your opponent's card effect: You can draw cards equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters on your field (max. 5). You can only use this effect of 'Rise of the Burning Abyss' once per turn._

_Cyreath Providence (Quick-Play Spell card)_

_Effect: When this card is activated, immediately after this effect resolves, Link Summon 1 'Cyreath' Link Monster from your Extra Deck, by shuffling only 'Cyreath' monsters from your Graveyard to your Deck/Extra Deck. _

_Cyreath Petrification (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: When your opponent declares an attack with a monster they control: Negate the attack, and if you do, reduce that monsters ATK to 0; also, its effects are negated until your End Phase. You can only activate 1 'Cyreath Petrification' per turn. _

_Chains of the Burning Abyss (Continuous-Trap card)_

_Effect: When your opponent attacks with a monster they control: You can tribute 1 'Burning Abyss' monster on your field; that monster cannot attack while this card is on your field. When that monster leaves the field: Destroy this card. _

_Geryon, Steed of the Burning Abyss (LR: 2/Fiend/Dark/ATK: 1600/__↙️↘️)_

_Effect: 2 Level 3 monsters. While this card points to a 'Burning Abyss' monster, it can attack your opponent directly, but any battle damage your opponent takes is halved. Once per turn: You can tribute 1 'Burning Abyss' monster this card points to, then target 1 card your opponent controls; send it to the Graveyard. _

_Cyreath Erymanthian Boar (LR: 3/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 2500/⬅️⬆️⬇️)_

_Effect: 2 or more 'Cyreath' monsters with different names. While this card is co-linked, it and its co-linked monsters gain 500 ATK; also, your opponent cannot target any of them with card effects. You can target 1 'Cyreath' monster in your Graveyard, except a Link Monster; __Special Summon it to your zone this card points to. You cannot Special Summon monsters the turn you activate this effect, except 'Cyreath' monsters. You can only use this effect of 'Cyreath Erymanthian Boar' once per turn._

_Cyreath Rider (LR: 3/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 2300/⬆️⬇️↘️)_

_Effect: 2 or more 'Cyreath' monsters, including a 'Cyreath' Link Monster. Once per turn, during either player's turn, when your opponent activates a card effect: You can negate that effect, and if you do, destroy it. If this card is in your GY: You can tribute 1 'Cyreath' Link-2 or higher monster your control; Special Summon this card to your field. You can only use this effect of 'Cyreath Rider' once per turn._

_Phlegyas, Guardian of the Burning Abyss (LR: 3/Fiend/Dark/ATK: 3000/↙️⬇️↘️)_

_Effect: 2 or more 'Burning Abyss' monsters. When this card is Link Summoned: You can destroy cards your opponent controls equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters used as Link Material. Once per turn: You can tribute 1 'Burning Abyss' monster this card points to; this card gains ATK equal to the original ATK of the tributed monster until the End Phase._

**QOTC**

_Between Dancho, Infearno, and Lord Kazuma, which Knight of Hanoi do you think is the most dangerous so far in the story?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 28: Haunted Performance. Following his loss against Infearno, Yuhiro, along with Roxy, scour the network for any signs of World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy. Suddenly, he's drawn into the underbelly of LINK VRAINS by a strange and frightening feeling. As he begins his search, the Knights of Hanoi make their move..._

_Chapter 29: The Tower Cometh. The Knights of Hanoi have launched their ultimate weapon: The Tower of Hanoi. Raguel, Playmaker, and their allies log into LINK VRAINS to unite and stop the Hanoi's plan. With guidance from Watchman, they split up to reach the Tower and eliminate any remaining members of the Hanoi. As Rosetta makes her way on foot, she's caught off guard by someone she thought was killed a while ago... _

**Author's Notes**

Ah, it's so good to finish a chapter, especially one as epic as this! I'm happy to be finishing the Cyberse Hunt arc prior to the school year coming up, and I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Anyhow, let's get to the recap!

The chapter follows up from Chapter 26, where Raguel, Rosetta, and Hideki log into the vault, only to find Infearno already there. This soon leads to the rematch between Raguel and Infearno, and surprise, Infearno gets a win for a change!

There were two reasons why I wanted Infearno to win this time around. One: To prove that he's no longer playing around. I want to establish him as an actual threat by having him know about not only Yuhiro's identity, but about Miyu and Roxy as well. Two: It helps Yuhiro's character development.

When a character loses a duel, it helps them reflect on what happened, as well as confront any personal dilemmas facing them. From there, they can heal and bounce back. I want to give Yuhiro a chance to develop not only as a character, but as a person by experiencing loss. This is my hope for Yuhiro following this chapter. Let me know what you think of this.

We also learn about the name of Yuhiro's power: Link Trigger. It's an ability that, in Watchman's words, "enhances the physical and mental abilities of a duelist both inside and outside of a duel". The secret to mastering it is mental control. What are your thoughts on Link Trigger? How do you think it will affect the story?

It's time for a few announcements before I talk about the Arc V Fanfic. First off, with the Tower of Hanoi arc coming up, I want to do an update on Roxy's Reports. The next report will focus on Ace and Rosetta, and will occur right after the events of Chapter 27. Once that's done, then I'll proceed straight to the Tower of Hanoi arc.

Second, the school year is coming up, and it will be different compared to last years. What does this mean for Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth, you may ask? Well, the time it takes to write chapters will vary depending on how schoolwork will be managed due to COVID-19. The time it takes to write chapters may be shorter, while others will be longer. This is due to the upcoming duels that will appear in the Tower of Hanoi arc, as well as assignments. But please be assured: I'm **not** abandoning this story. I intend to finish it all the way.

Alright, it's time for the Arc V announcements! First off, I like to announce the **official** title of the upcoming Arc V Fanfic: Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V: The First Pendulum.

Second, I want to talk about legacy characters. Okay, guys. I want to make this story as different as possible compared to other well-known Arc V fanfics. How, you may ask? While most Arc V Fanfics have been using characters such as Hell Kaiser Ryo (who's pretty common), I'll be using different legacy characters. I won't specify who, as I'm still deciding who will be in it, but they will have proper roles in the story. Please let me know which legacy characters you think will appear in the story following the Original Dimension arc, as I want to hear your thoughts.

Third, I want to talk about when the fanfic will be released. With the first-year anniversary of Obscured Truth coming up in October, I want to finish the Tower of Hanoi arc and wrap up the first season. By doing so, I want to gain the experience and confidence of writing an entire season before starting The First Pendulum.

Lastly, I want to talk about how you want the chapters to be released. Do you want me to alternate between both stories, or do you want me to release new chapters at the same time? Let me know what you think.

Thank you for reading Chapter 27 of Obscured Truth. Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. In addition, constructive criticism is always welcome, as it helps make the story even better. If you know of anyone who would be interested in reading the story, don't hesitate in showing them.

What did you enjoy the most about this chapter? The duel between Raguel and Infearno? Were you surprised by Infearno winning for a change? Or was it something else?

Next chapter, the Tower of Hanoi arc finally begins! See you next time!


	28. Chapter 28: Haunted Performance

**Responses to Reviews**

Thank you to Jason, HunterHQ, Guest, Anonymous, KingOtakuOverYou, Kingdom Hearts Guy, Donjusticia, ZeroMK7, E.T. 2000, Pikachu99, and Cosmic Cat for reviewing Chapter 27 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everyone! From what I'm reading, it seems that you all enjoyed the previous chapter. I just want to thank everyone for the positive reviews, as it's a great way to end the Cyberse Hunt arc and begin the Tower of Hanoi arc.

Speaking of reviews, it's time to answer them:

Jason: Thank you very much, Jason. Glad to see you're looking forward to the Tower of Hanoi arc, as I'll tell you now: There will be a lot of surprises in store.

HunterHQ: Hopefully, Raguel learned his lesson from his loss against Infearno. Unfortunately, Raguel and Infearno are in something called a 'Mexican Stand-off', where if one reveals the identity of the opponent, then the opponent will do the same. As such, I don't see Raguel and Roxy taking action against Infearno anytime soon, lest they put Miyu's safety in jeopardy. I do have a plan in terms of network abilities for each of the Lost Incident children. As for what Dr. Kogami said at the end of Chapter 27, he's afraid of the unknown. Humans, by nature, are afraid of something they don't know about. If the Ignis pose a threat, what other enemies in the network could exist and threaten mankind? Oh, and it was fortunate that Aoi and Akira weren't present for the duel. Otherwise, Yuhiro and Roxy would definitely be screwed.

Guest: Infearno found an opening in the network and got into the vault once Hideki logged in. You could say that patience was a factor. As for your other question, Infearno will answer it to Raguel near the end of the Tower of Hanoi arc.

Anonymous: For the answer to your question, I encourage you to read this chapter.

KingOtakuOverYou: I'm happy to see you enjoyed the chapter. In terms of Windy's origin, I do plan on him making an actual appearance, meaning in the story, he isn't dead. I also have a deck for him planned out. As for the Arc V Fanfic, you don't have to read it if you don't want to. I'm really sorry if the announcement somehow disturbed you mentally, socially, and/or psychologically. I just hope you'll keep reading Obscured Truth. Ultimately, as someone who cares about health, I hope everything is okay wherever you are.

Kingdom Hearts Guy: Yes. Cyreath is an OC Cyberse archetype. I plan on introducing two more OC Cyberse archetypes in the future.

Donjusticia: Actually, if the main character loses in a serious duel, it helps with their character development. In this case, Yuhiro will grow as a duelist and person by learning from his mistakes and going to his friends for needed support.

ZeroMK7: Glad to see you're enjoying everything so far in the story, especially the events Chapter 27. Also, I wanted to thank you for your suggestion as well. What I'll tell you is this: I do intend on using Black Rose Dragon in the upcoming Arc V Fanfic, but she'll be wielded by someone else. You could say the person using Black Rose Dragon will be deadlier than Akiza would ever be.

E.T. 2000: Yes, you could say that Chapter 27 was filled with emotion. As it was the finale of the Cyberse Hunt arc, that was my intention. And you're correct. Raguel and Roxy are in no position to take action against Infearno, lest they risk Miyu's safety. As for the duels during the Tower of Hanoi arc, I can't tell you right now, but stay tuned for an announcement regarding them.

Pikachu99: Infearno's always been badass. The problem, back in Chapter 6, was that his arrogance led to his downfall. This time around, not only did he learn from his mistake, he also acquired knowledge that he used to practically defeat Raguel in Chapter 27. As for your theories... well, you'll have to read and find out for yourself.

Cosmic Cat: Thanks for the five stars. And to answer your question, Revolver purged the remaining grunts and sergeants so he could feed them to the Tower.

It's time to begin the Tower of Hanoi arc. Enjoy!

**Chapter 28: Haunted Performance**

_At SOL Technologies..._

"I was expecting to meet with Bishop, but to see you here instead Rook, this is a surprise indeed." Akira said, looking at a red-headed, muscular man who had a red, sleeveless shirt with baggy track pants and white boots. He just finished his 3rd set of bench pressing as he put the weightlifting bar beside him.

Right now, Akira was meeting with Rook, who took Bishop's place due to a last minute meeting with Knight and Queen. The area Akira was meeting Rook in was a digital recreation of an exercise gym and a weapons training range. Why, Akira would never ask. After all, his boss valued strength above all else.

"Is there a problem with that?" Rook asked, sitting up on the weight bench and turning his head to Akira. "One way or another, you are meeting with one of the higher-ups, am I not correct?"

"You are, sir. My apologies." Akira confirmed, trying to rectify the situation. "If I may, what exactly did you call me for?"

"A couple of things." Rook answered, standing up and stretching his upper back. "First, on behalf of the higher-ups, I want to thank you for taking action. While Kitamura had good intentions for the company, we didn't authorize the attack, and we're glad you stepped in to notify us."

"Thank you, sir." Akira said. "I really-."

"I'm not finished." Rook interrupted, turning around and walking over to a rack holding several weapons. "As much as we want you back as security chief, we have to prioritize SOL Technologies' integrity first. This means, for the time being, we have to keep Kitamura in his current position. Otherwise, the public will lose faith in us. But that doesn't mean he won't be reprimanded for his idiocy." He turned his head behind him to look at Akira. "I trust you understand this, yes?"

Akira nodded, knowing that whatever _any_ of the higher-ups said was the final decision.

"Good." Rook grabbed two tomahawks, one on each hand, and walked over to the target range. He then threw one of them at the target, which hit its chest area. Dissatisfied with his throw, Rook threw the second one, hitting the circle with an 'X' in it. "Besides, SOL Technologies needs men like you. Men that work hard and relentlessly with understanding, especially during these difficult times." He walked over to Akira and placed his hand on his shoulder. "If you don't mind me asking, is there anything else that happened? Any information you want to pass on to us?"

Akira gulped as he locked eyes with the larger man, who was taller than him. He didn't know what to tell Rook. If he told him the truth, there's a good chance that Hideki would be summoned, and perhaps disciplined for having a daughter who formerly worked with the Hanoi. Worse, he could lose his job, leaving the Kinoshita family with no income whatsoever.

"No. At least not for now," Akira said, having decided on his answer. "After I dueled Kitamura and had him give up the consciousness data, I returned it to its rightful owner."

Rook narrowed his eyes and frowned. "I see." He released his hand from Akira's shoulder and walked back to the weapons rack. This time, he grabbed a bow and a quiver containing several arrows. "There's another reason why I called you today. But you must swear secrecy, Zaizen, as this matter is internal. Do you understand?"

"Of course." Akira nodded, now concerned with what Rook was about to say.

"Last night, we received word that someone hacked into the LINK VRAINS division of SOL Technologies. More importantly..." Rook grabbed an arrow and pulled it back using his bow before firing it, causing the arrow to hit the center. "The vault containing a very powerful Cyberse card called World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy." He then grabbed another arrow and fired it at the target, causing it to hit the center once again. "From the recordings available, we can only presume that a member of the Knights of Hanoi found an opening and infiltrated the vault once Hideki logged in." He lowered his bow and arrow before looking at Akira. "We assume that Hideki went into the vault to perform an inspection, but we want your opinion on this matter. Do you happen to know why Hideki was in the vault?"

"No, Rook." Akira immediately answered. "I was at home when this happened. Frankly, this is news for me."

Rook simply nodded as his thick, red-headed eyebrows narrowed. "Hmph. Alright then."

"If I may," Akira said, getting Rook's attention, "I wanted to bring up SengokuQueen, whom Kitamura tried to fire following the attack." But before Akira could continue, Rook stopped him with a hand.

"We'll take care of it." Rook assured Akira. "After all, it's not fair for someone as skilled as SengokuQueen to lose her job just for simply doing it. There's not many people who have skills like her, and in the coming battle against the Hanoi, we need as many people as possible to defeat them."

Akira nodded, agreeing with Rook's logic. "Thank you, sir. Do you require anything else from me?"

"No." Rook replied, putting away his bow and quiver. "As I'm meeting with the other higher-ups later today, I'll have to tell them what you told me. If you do find further information in the coming days, please forward it to us _immediately_."

"I will do that." Akira promised.

"Good. You're dismissed." Following that, the whole place vanished, revealing a plain old meeting room. Akira sighed as he adjusted his suit's collar. _That was close_, he thought, as he exited the meeting room and walked down the hallway to the elevator. _I couldn't tell Rook about Raguel helping me, not after everything he did to help Aoi both in LINK VRAINS and in the real world. Although I have a feeling that the higher-ups will be keeping an eye on me from here on out._

"Mr. Zaizen, wait up!" Hayami said out of nowhere, snapping Akira out of his thoughts as she caught up to him.

"What is it, Hayami?" Akira asked her, as the two of them boarded the elevator. He pressed a button, causing it to go down a few floors.

"You remember when you wanted me to check the network for any anomalies?"

"Yes, I remember. What about it?"

"Well, you might want to look at this." Hayami then handed Akira her tablet, causing Akira to raise an eyebrow at what he was seeing. "You see these four red dots? They represent the areas where the anomalies are occurring repeatedly. My best guess is that they're surrounding something."

"Or someone." Akira theorized, as he and Hayami got out of the elevator and started walking in the hallway. "Do you mind sending this information to me, Hayami? I want to take a closer look at it later today."

Hayami nodded, as she pressed a few buttons on her tablet. "It's been sent, sir. Uh, Mr. Zaizen. There's something I wanted to ask you." But before she could, Akira spoke up.

"I have to make a couple of phone calls before leaving. Could you please tell my bosses I'll be going home within the hour?"

Hayami, seeing that her boss was busy, nodded in understanding, having missed her opportunity to try and court him. "I will." And with that, Akira went into his office.

Once he sat down at his desk, he immediately dialed a phone number on his phone, causing it to ring several times. By the fourth ring, Emma answered on the other end.

"Hello?"

"I apologize for interrupting your day, Emma." Akira said, getting straight to business. "But I was wondering if I could speak to you later today."

"What's the time and place?" Emma asked.

"3:00. Green Park." Akira immediately answered.

"All right, Hun. See ya then." Emma then hung up.

Once that was done, Akira then opened his laptop and started sending an email to Gekiryushi. _As long as the Knights of Hanoi are looming around_, he thought, _they'll continue to be a threat. And as Rook said, we need as many people as possible to defeat them._

_At the Uchida residence..._

Emon was on his laptop, having decided to work at home for today. Right now, he was looking over the various recordings in Den City, for even after his victory against Yuhiro yesterday, he still wasn't satisfied. After all, a part of him knew that he would face him again.

Knowing about Miyu, the one person that Yuhiro cared for in the whole world was the first step. Now, the second step was to dive further into the psyche, and find ways to break the individual from within.

That's when Emon decided to do further research into the people Yuhiro hung out with. Knowing about them would give him the psychological advantage he needed. He made a mental note to thank Revolver for the information that he sent to him.

After ten minutes of scouring the recordings, he eventually hit the jackpot. Emon smiled as he looked at the screen. From what he could gather, following the Lost Incident, Yuhiro must have been put in the Den City Shelter by a man named Quinton Monell, whom Emon knew was Stregone. And from there, Yuhiro was eventually adopted by Roxy. _This is excellent information_, Emon thought, looking at the screen. _But I'm sure I can do better than that_.

He then continued looking through the records until something else caught his eye. Eventually, Emon found a recording of Yuhiro hanging out with a girl that was younger than him. _I think I've met her before, _Emon tried to recall, thinking to himself. Ah. That's right. He met that girl the same day he met Yuhiro, the real-life identity of Raguel. Rachel Miyake.

But something was on his mind. Why would a little girl like Rachel hang out with Yuhiro? Unless..

Emon then ran several algorithms and compared Rachel's face to the recordings of Numera in LINK VRAINS. Within minutes, the algorithms came back positive, indicating to him that Rachel and Numera were one and the same person. _Perfect_, he thought, smiling to himself. As of now, the weapons of pain, suffering, and loss were at his disposal. With this information, Emon will be able to overcome his adversary and either capture or destroy his Ignis.

Satisfied, he downloaded the information into his Duel Disk before standing up and stretching. Once the data transfer was complete, he put on his Duel Disk, put his deck in, and said, "Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Infearno walked out of a digital portal and onto a tall building that overlooked the entire network. He saw several duelists logging into the network to test their skills, and above them were the countless AI Duelist squads that were appearing everywhere. Following the 'Another' situation, Kitamura sent them to patrol the network, with the belief that they would be able to repel the Hanoi should they appear again.

What an idiot. No matter what Kitamura did, it would be all for naught, as not even he could withstand the reckoning that's to come.

"How wonderful, a witness! Just what I needed!"

Infearno turned his head around, only to sigh in annoyance upon seeing Lord Kazuma with his messenger droid behind him.

"The hell are you doing here?" Infearno asked, as Lord Kazuma walked to where he was. "And why did you bring your messenger droid?"

"Just watch!" Lord Kazuma stated, who couldn't contain his excitement. He then pointed to one of the AI Duelist Squads. "Okay, Gradius. Activate Instant-Kill mode on those AI Duelists!"

"Acknowledged," Gradius responded, as it leapt down from the building and challenged the AI Duelist Squad to a duel. Within eight _explosive_ minutes, the entire squad was completely destroyed. Lord Kazuma smirked with glee as Gradius returned to its master.

"It worked!" Lord Kazuma cheered. "The project is a success!"

"Has Revolver approved of this?" Infearno asked, irritated with Lord Kazuma's antics. "Because if I recall correctly, he doesn't trust artificial intelligences."

"And I never will," Revolver affirmed, as he walked out of a portal and onto the tall building where the others were. "But due to the circumstances, I'm willing to let it slide just this once."

Infearno then glared at Lord Kazuma, who shrugged his shoulders and chuckled before turning back to Revolver. "What about Ace and Athaliah? Are they not available to assist us?"

"Athaliah is ensuring that World Gears is stabilized," Revolver explained, "and Ace is checking something for me. I thought I had to make adjustments to the schedule, but then Lord Kazuma suggested an idea that can not only provide time the Tower needs, but also take out our opponents should they get too curious for their liking. Tell him, Lord Kazuma."

Lord Kazuma grinned, as he went over and whispered it into Infearno's ear. By the time he was finished, Infearno smirked, actually impressed with Lord Kazuma for once.

"Very cunning of you. Not only does the plan eliminate meddling duelists, but it attacks the mind as well."

"Thank you very much." Lord Kazuma replied, stepping away from Infearno and giving a slight bow. "Gentlemen, please excuse me. I must prepare for my performance." He, along with Gradius, then logged out from where they were.

"Revolver," Infearno said, as Revolver walked up to where he was. "With the Tower's launch soon to come, I need to know: Do you honestly trust Ace and Athaliah?"

"I don't." Revolver answered, his arms crossed. "As much as I value their assistance, I have an unsettling feeling about them. It's as though they're both a part of this from the very beginning, one way or another."

"I can dispose of them, if you like." Infearno offered, but Revolver shook his head.

"No." He started walking away from Infearno. "Let Ace and Athaliah think they possess the element of surprise. Then, when they're not expecting it, we'll crush them." Revolver then dematerialized from the general area of LINK VRAINS, leaving Infearno alone to overlook the network.

"How would Ace and Athaliah be a part of all this?" Infearno muttered, pondering to himself.

_At Green Park..._

Akira looked at his watch as he stood near a field of flowers. 2:55. That was the time on his watch. And he requested Emma to meet him here within five minutes.

He also requested Gekiryushi to arrive at the same location as well. Based on her profile, Akira knew she would protest working with a treasure hunter like Emma. Unfortunately, in a time where the Hanoi was running rampant, everyone would have to work together despite their beliefs. _God help me_, Akira thought, sighing to himself.

Soon, he heard the sound of a motorcycle, and sure enough, it was Emma.

"Hey there, Hun." Emma said, taking off her helmet and putting it on her violet motorcycle. "Right on time."

"I appreciate you coming today, Emma." Akira replied, as Emma walked towards him.

"So, what exactly did you call me for anyway?"

Akira cleared his throat. "You see, right now, there aren't any traces of the Knights of Hanoi in LINK VRAINS..." But before he could continue, Emma crossed her arms.

"Oh, please. Did you call me here just to tell me that?"

"No. Not exactly," Akira answered. "Lately, every division at SOL Technologies has filed in a request for more programmers and operators. If the Hanoi were to strike back, they'd be more prepared. After all, with what Kitamura did, I couldn't blame them."

Emma knelt down to the nearby flowerbed and stroked a flower. "I can't blame them either. After all, in times like these, it doesn't hurt to be careful."

"Yeah..." Akira agreed, as he saw a taxi pull in to Green Park. "It doesn't hurt to be careful." The two of them saw Gekiryushi step out of the taxi and walk over to where they were. Sure enough, upon seeing Emma, Gekiryushi's expression changed from receptive to one of pure anger, as she walked over to where Akira was and grabbed him by the collar.

"What the hell, Zaizen!" Gekiryushi exclaimed. "You didn't tell me you invited a _treasure hunter_ to this meeting!"

"Hey, get your hands off him!" Emma told her, standing up and trying to release Akira from Gekiryushi's grip. Unfortunately, Gekiryushi slapped her hand away while maintaining her grip on Akira.

"Don't give me orders, treasure hunter!" Gekiryushi warned Emma, sparks flying between both women. "Zaizen knows fully well that I don't work with dishonorable people, and yet he calls you in for a job?!" Suddenly, Akira released himself from the grip and got in-between both women.

"Oh for God's sake, enough!" Akira told them, now getting slightly irritated. "The reason why I didn't tell you was because I had a feeling this would happen. We have to work together if we're going to stop the Hanoi. So can you please tolerate each other just for a little while?"

Gekiryushi sighed. "Very well. I guess I can honor your request, Zaizen. After all, I do have to repent for what I've done."

"Thank you." Akira breathed a sigh of relief. He then showed both ladies his tablet. "I had my assistant Hayami search the network today for anomalies. These areas I'm pointing to are where they're occurring repeatedly. What's more, they're surrounding something, or someone."

"I see." Emma said, pursing her lips. "Something's happening when nothing is happening, which makes it the perfect opportunity for a treasure hunter."

"It's likely that the Hanoi remnants are hiding in that area." Gekiryushi added.

"That's why I want the both of you to investigate this matter as soon as possible." Akira explained. "Whatever you find, report back _only_ to me."

"Of course, Hun." Emma agreed. "It'll be our little secret. After all, we don't want your bosses finding out, don't we?" Gekiryushi rolled her eyes. Seriously? A flirting technique? What did she get herself into?

_At Café Matsuo..._

Yuhiro returned to Café Matsuo from school, where Roxy greeted him with a smile on her face.

"How was school?"

"Apart from Progleo being mean to Aoi, same as usual." Yuhiro replied, frowning. Progleo then jumped out of the Duel Disk and onto the ground.

"What? I'm still mad with Aoi for telling her brother and that man about your identity." Progleo stated. "I just don't want you guys to get hurt."

"I know, little buddy." Yuhiro said, kneeling down to the cub's level and ruffling his fur. "But you were pretty mean ignoring her. At some point, you'll have to forgive her."

"Besides." Roxy added. "You can't stay mad at her forever."

"I suppose you make some valid points." Progleo conceded.

"Putting the matter of Progleo being mad at Aoi, were you able to contact Monty?" Yuhiro asked, to which Roxy shook her head.

"Not since he went to that gala thing. For some reason, he hasn't got back." She sighed. "Monty would really help us right now regarding Ace."

"We'll solve that mystery once he returns." Yuhiro assured her, standing up. "But in the meanwhile, are there any other news that came up?"

"Yup! Follow me! I have something to show you!" Roxy opened the door and motioned for Yuhiro and Progleo to come inside. She then led them to the backroom, where she fired up the monitors. Roxy quickly opened a file and showed the contents to Yuhiro, who raised an eyebrow.

"LVSS Support System?" Yuhiro asked.

"It stands for the LINK VRAINS Searching System." Roxy explained. "Kusanagi sent me a copy once we completed it. The system is designed to detect any anomaly, as well as track both it and people. In addition, it lets me follow you in real time."

"Interesting." Yuhiro said, impressed with what he was seeing. With this system, they'll be able to track down World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy.

"So you and Kusanagi spent time working on this system?" Herald asked, emerging out of Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "Does this mean you two had a virtual date or something?" Unfortunately for Herald, Roxy whacked him over the head. "Aw, come on!"

"Keep that up, Herald, and I'll erase your game account!" Roxy warned him.

"No, please!" Herald begged. "Anything but that!"

"Guys, break it up." Yuhiro told them. "Roxy, I'm sure there's something about Herald that you can tease-."

BA-BUMP!

Yuhiro suddenly fell off his chair and onto the floor, his anxiety having started to build up. Images of World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy in pain continuously flickered in his mind, sending him into shock. And that feeling. It sounded like... a heartbeat.

"Hey, Yuhiro! You alright?" Roxy asked, shaking his shoulder. Progleo went over to Yuhiro and licked his cheek, which contributed to bringing him back to reality.

"I think so." Yuhiro replied, trying to stand up before letting Roxy help him back onto his chair. "Although I have this uneasy feeling."

"Is it your Link Trigger?" Herald asked. "Do you think it may have somehow been activated in the real world?"

"Maybe." Yuhiro theorized. "But... I saw World Gears. In pain."

"What did you say?" Herald said. But before he could continue, the LVSS detected an anomaly at a junction between the 'A' Zones, causing him to turn to the monitors. "The LVSS has detected something!"

Soon, Yuhiro stood up, almost losing his balance once again. He then grabbed his Duel Disk and attached it to his left arm, making Herald almost lose his balance as well.

"I'm heading into LINK VRAINS," Yuhiro decided. "I feel that something bad is about to happen."

"A-Alright, Yuhiro." Roxy replied, nodding her head. "Just be careful."

Yuhiro then ran to the closed-off space, and nearly stumbled by the time he reached it. He then opened the door and went inside before closing it. Finally, he put his deck in his Duel Disk and said, "Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

Raguel emerged from the portal and landed on his duel board, riding on the Data Storm as he sped away from the portal. He then pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk, causing several E.M.S. to come on out.

"Okay little guys, listen up." Raguel told them. "You see this signal. Help me find it." The flies saluted to Raguel and Herald before flying off in different directions. "Found anything yet so far, Roxy?"

"Not yet." Roxy answered over the earpiece. "But the E.M.S. does help in finding things." Soon, there was a beeping on the monitor. "Hey, Yuhiro. One of the E.M.S. has detected something."

"Already?" Raguel said, raising an eyebrow. Usually, E.M.S. would take a bit of time to find their target, but for one of the flies to find something this quickly? Something was up.

"Either my enhancements have helped," Herald theorized, "or something's not right."

BA-BUMP!

A shock ran through Raguel's body, as more images of World Gears of Theurlogical Demiurgy in pain continued to go through his head. As a result, he nearly swerved out of control.

"Oi, Yuhiro! Everything okay?" Roxy asked him. "Your icon kind of pulsed on the monitor, buddy."

"I'm... fine." Raguel replied, through gritted teeth.

"If you're not fine, you just have to say so." Herald pointed out, turning to face Raguel.

"I saw World Gears once again." Raguel stated, before Herald could continue. "It could mean we're getting closer." As if on cue, his Duel Disk started beeping. "One of the E.M.S. just sent me a trail to follow. Increasing speed."

"No, no. NOT AGAIN!" Herald shrieked, as Raguel's duel board sped up, causing the poor Ignis to hold onto the Duel Disk he was in for dear life. He then swerved right sharply, taking him to an alleyway that was dark and filthy. The lampposts kept flickering on and off, and there were no decorations on the buildings. In addition, there was yellow sap leaking off the buildings.

Raguel landed on the ground, as he approached the stairway at the end of the alley that went deep into the ground.

"Is this what you detected, E.M.S.?" Raguel asked the fly, to which it nodded. He then pressed a few buttons, retrieving all the other flies and returning them to his Duel Disk. "Roxy, I think I found something. An entrance to the underground sewer of LINK VRAINS."

"And its emitting energy." Herald added. "The energy of World Gears!"

"The underbelly of LINK VRAINS..." Roxy muttered over the earpiece. "You think that's where the remnants of the Hanoi are?"

"I'm positive." Raguel confirmed. "Whatever Revolver and Infearno are planning, I'm putting a stop to it today."

"That is something we can agree on."

Raguel turned his head, only to see SengokuQueen jump from her duel board and land beside him with incredible accuracy.

"SengokuQueen? What are you doing here?" Raguel asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I came to help." SengokuQueen responded, looking down at the entrance. "You could say I'm working with someone that's much more preferable than Kitamura. Though if he didn't make me team up with the _treasure hunter_, it would be a lot better." While Raguel was immediately able to deduce that she was working with Akira, a look of surprise registered on his face when she mentioned Ghost Girl.

"Hang on. So you're working with Ghost Girl?" Raguel inquired, causing SengokuQueen to nod her head. "And you two split up?"

"To cover more ground." SengokuQueen answered. "It's only logical, considering Ghost Girl has those fireflies of hers." She then gestured to the stairway. "Shall we?" The two of them then walked into the stairway and down to the underground sewer of LINK VRAINS.

As they ran through the sewer, they saw streams of data spilling out of openings and flowing downwards. Based on this, along with the steep ledges and cracks on the ground, the two of them knew they were going in the right direction.

"While we keep going, I have a question for you." Raguel said to SengokuQueen, breaking the silence.

"What is it?"

"What's your _real_ reason for helping us?" Raguel asked. "I don't think it's for the money. Rather, I think it's about something else." SengokuQueen then suddenly stopped running, causing Raguel to do the same and turn to face her.

"The truth is, I'm doing this in order to repent." SengokuQueen admitted, looking at her reflection in the water. "All my life, I followed my goal, which was to bring the corrupt to justice. No matter who they were. Unfortunately, in the process, I didn't bother looking at things from their point of view. And as a result, I ended up nearly taking an innocent life." Dancho's words replayed in her head as she recalled all of this. "Will Rosetta... will she forgive me? I don't know what to do." Her shoulders then started shaking, as though she were on the verge of crying.

Raguel thought about it for a full minute before deciding on what to say. "You start by doing the hardest thing. You forgive yourself." He walked over and placed a hand on SengokuQueen's shoulder, as her eyes widened. "I believe you're a good person, and I know you'll find a way to put it right."

A look of surprise was on SengokuQueen's face as she processed what Raguel just told her. She then wiped the unshed tears off her face with her forearm.

"Thank you, Raguel. That makes me feel better." She then started walking before running again. "Let's keep going." Raguel then followed after her.

"That is really sweet of you, Raguel." Roxy commented over the earpiece.

"Definitely." Herald agreed with her. "It makes Raguel good boyfriend material for a _special_ girl in his life, wouldn't you agree?" Raguel sighed in embarrassment as the both of them laughed.

"Just be quiet. Please." Raguel begged them. Soon, he stopped running, having noticed SengokuQueen do the same thing. "A wall? Seriously?"

"Perhaps the Hanoi may have tampered with it." SengokuQueen theorized, tracing it and trying to find its weakness.

Raguel then pulled out his sword and revved it up, causing it to heat up. "Or we can use my sword to cut through and find the source." He then proceed to do just that. Unfortunately, the wall started glowing, causing him to immediately pull it out. The next thing they knew, a wall rose up from behind them, preventing them from leaving.

Soon, all four walls started glowing bright yellow, making Raguel, Herald, and SengokuQueen shield their eyes as they were teleported from that area.

_Several moments later, at a different part of the sewer..._

Raguel and SengokuQueen fell to the ground, having clearly been teleported to a different part of the sewer.

"What the-?" was all Raguel could say, as he got up. "You alright, Herald?"

"Yup." Herald confirmed. "A bit dazzled, though."

"Exactly what is this place?" SengokuQueen asked, as she looked around. Based on her surroundings, it looked like a...

"At last! My star performers have arrived for their debut!"

Both Raguel and SengokuQueen turned upward upon hearing the voice. Emerging from underneath the stage in front of them was none other than Lord Kazuma, who held the dark blue rod of Dark Magician in his left hand.

"Debut? I think you got it wrong, Kazuma." Raguel stated. "If anything, you being here is proof that the Hanoi is planning something big."

Lord Kazuma nearly fell over in shock. "For goodness sake, Raguel. It's _Lord_ Kazuma. I thought you would know that already!" He then composed himself. "Regardless, the show's about to start, and I need a volunteer." The dark blue rod in his hand glowed, causing two cages to appear out from above and trap Raguel and SengokuQueen before lifting them up high in the air.

"For my first trick," Lord Kazuma explained to the audience that _somehow_ appeared out of nowhere, "I shall choose a captive and teleport them to the stage below. With my eyes closed!" He then pointed the dark blue rod to Raguel and SengokuQueen, moving it back and forth between them. "Eeny, Miney, Minie, Mo. Catch the tiger by the toe. If he hollers, let them go. Eeny, Miney, Minie, Mo!" And Lord Kazuma ended up pointing at SengokuQueen before firing a blast of magic at her, resulting in the cage disappearing from the air. As soon as that happened, the crowd gasped in shock.

Soon, the cage SengokuQueen was in reappeared on the stage, causing the crowd to clap in delight upon seeing her alright and well. As the door to SengokuQueen's cage opened and she got out, Lord Kazuma said to her, "Congratulations! You get to be part of my spectacular show!"

The next thing Raguel knew, the bottom of the cage opened up underneath him, causing him to fall to the ground. Luckily, he ended up landing with one knee on the ground, punching the ground in the process.

"And our other performer survives the fall!" Lord Kazuma proclaimed, clapping his hands. "With a superhero landing, I may add!"

"Enough with these tricks!" Raguel told him. "Shut this performance of yours down now, and tell me what you and the Hanoi are planning!"

"Oh, I think not." Lord Kazuma responded, a snicker on his face. A TV screen then emerged underneath the stage behind him. "After all, I got a little surprise to show you." In a true magician's fashion, he moonwalked to the left as the TV screen flickered several times. When the images stopped flickering, it then showed Playmaker in the sewer, running away from what looked like a reptilian humanoid composed of fizzling data.

"Playmaker!" Raguel cried out, upon seeing the image.

"Ai!" Herald added.

"What you're seeing on screen is the mighty Playmaker running for his life from a Cyberse monster I enslaved to my will." Lord Kazuma explained, to the fury of Herald.

"You dare subjugate the Cyberse for your twisted game?!" Herald seethed.

"I like to have fun, even if it's at the expense of others suffering in the process!" Lord Kazuma clarified with a smile. "But now it's time for you to make a choice." He twirled the dark blue rod above his head before slamming the butt of it to the ground, causing a gate with bright light to appear near the stage. "You can stay as a spectator of the show and duel me once I defeat your ally, or you can go and rescue Playmaker from the Cyberse monster. Oh, and just so you're aware: Once you enter the gate, you can't come back!"

It was evident that Raguel was torn with the choice Lord Kazuma gave him. He could stay and help SengokuQueen defeat Lord Kazuma, but Playmaker couldn't outrun the Cyberse monster forever. And while he didn't doubt SengokuQueen's skills as a duelist, he didn't want to leave her there alone against this madman. _One way or the other, someone will get hurt_, he realized.

"You need to go!" SengokuQueen told Raguel, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"But if I do..." Raguel began, but SengokuQueen interrupted him.

"We'll stand a better chance of defeating the Hanoi with you and Playmaker around." She readied her Duel Disk as she stared down at Lord Kazuma. "I'll be fine. Besides, I can start to atone for my mistakes by defeating him in a duel."

"Raguel, we also have to save Ai!" Herald included, backing up her statement. "There's no way I'm letting an Ignis nor a Cyberse monster get hurt in Lord Kazuma's wicked game of his!"

Raguel thought about it for a minute. "Alright. Good luck, SengokuQueen." He then ran for the gate, and as soon as he passed through, it vanished into particles.

"And there goes one of our main guests..." Lord Kazuma said, disappointment evident in his voice. "But I guess it works for me, as I get to pay you back in person for leading SOL's attack on our base." He pointed the dark blue rod in his hands at her. "And because of your little interference, it led to Rosetta leaving our side."

"The Knights of Hanoi weren't the people she needed to hang around with to heal!" SengokuQueen rebutted. "I may have made a critical mistake in hurting Rosetta, but at least I can start atoning for what I've done!"

Lord Kazuma snickered as the dark blue rod in his hands disappeared. "In that case, prepare for your defeat, _also-ran_!"

"Duel!" both duelists shouted.

**Lord Kazuma: 4000 LP**

**SengokuQueen: 4000 LP**

"Since I'm the host, it's only fair I begin the duel. My turn!" Lord Kazuma said, looking at the cards in his hand. "I summon Chocolate Magician Girl from my hand!" A teenage girl with light-crimson eyes leaped onto Lord Kazuma's field. She wore magician's clothing that covered most of her upper body, revealing her stomach. On each of her forearms was magician's gloves, along with a single golden choker. At her lower body, she wore a small, blue skirt, with long high-heeled blue boots. She also had long, light-turquoise hair, with a dark blue magician's hat that had a heart and rings encircling it. In her right hand, she carried a small wand.

**Chocolate Magician Girl ATK: 1600 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"Once per turn, by discarding a Spellcaster monster, I can draw one card. I discard Apple Magician Girl!" After Lord Kazuma discarded Apple Magician Girl, he drew one card from his deck. "I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Dark Magical Circle! Now I can look at the top three cards of my deck for a 'Dark Magician' or a Spell or Trap card listing 'Dark Magician' specifically in its text. Then by revealing it to you, I get to add it to my hand." Lord Kazuma looked at the top three cards of his deck before choosing one. "I reveal to you the Spell card, Sage's Stone!" SengokuQueen narrowed her eyes upon looking at the card.

"Dark Magical Circle has a second effect!" Lord Kazuma continued. "I can place the remaining two cards on top of my deck in any order. Let's see here. This should work." He took the remaining two cards and placed them one on top of the other. "I think I'll end my turn here. It's time for you to wow the audience, SengokuQueen."

"What?!" SengokuQueen exclaimed, shocked upon seeing him just end his turn like that. _No facedown cards and only monster_, she thought. _Does he dare underestimate me?_

Whatever. As long as she got her combo started, she could get some damage in.

"My turn! I draw!" SengokuQueen said, drawing the top card of her deck. "I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Shien's Dojo. Each time I Normal or Special Summon a 'Six Samurai' monster, I can place a Bushido counter on this card. Next, I activate the Spell card, Shien's Smoke Signal! This card lets me add a Level 3 or lower 'Six Samurai' monster from my deck to my hand!" A card popped out of SengokuQueen's deck, letting her add it to her hand. "From there, I Special Summon Elder of the Six Samurai from my hand!" An old man wearing a white robe with a magenta turban and red glasses appeared on SengokuQueen's field. The old man was in a mechanical walking throne, which had four legs and a crossbow on either side.

**Elder of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 0 LV: 3**

"I'm allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand if you control a monster and I don't," SengokuQueen explained. "But why stop there, for I'll also summon Kagemusha of the Six Samurai from my hand!" A samurai with dark brown armor and shin pads with yellow lines covering his entire body joined SengokuQueen's field. Unlike his brethren, this samurai's mask was a bit taller vertically, and its mask covered his face up to his eyes. Kagemusha cracked his whip, ready for battle.

**Kagemusha of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LV: 2**

"The effect of Shien's Dojo activates twice, as I summoned two 'Six Samurai' monsters!"

**Shien's Dojo BC: 0 + 1 + 1 = 2**

"I tune the Level 2 Kagemusha of the Six Samurai to the Level 3 Elder of the Six Samurai!" SengokuQueen boldly declared. A bolt of crimson lightning struck her as the world greyed out and her two monsters disappeared into particles. Two rings, one brown and one green, appeared before turning blue and merging. Five blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "2 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to "5" as light surged through the rings.

"The legendary samurai brings fear and death to all his enemies!" SengokuQueen chanted. "Soon, your death shall strengthen his power! Synchro Summon! Emerge from the battlefield, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En!" A samurai with light crimson armor and golden lines covering his entire body emerged from the light and onto the right Extra Monster Zone. He had medium-sized wings with golden lines on his back. On each of his shoulders was a curved spike. His helmet had the Bushido symbol on the top, with the samurai mask having a golden outline. His eyes glowed red as he swung his katana, ready for battle.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 DEF: 1400 LV: 5**

"Shien's Dojo's effect!"

**Shien's Dojo BC: 2 + 1 = 3**

_I'm no fool_, SengokuQueen thought. _If this 'Lord Kazuma' is one of the Hanoi Remnants I'm facing, then he has to be stronger than what I'm seeing. I should therefore prepare my defenses_. "I activate the Equip Spell card, Monk Halberd! Until the End Phase of this turn, the equipped monster gains 500 attack points. I equip this card onto Shi En!" A halberd appeared, which Shi En grabbed with his left hand.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000**

"Battle!" SengokuQueen declared. "Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En attacks your Chocolate Magician Girl! Crimson Slash of Death!" Shi En charged at Chocolate Magician Girl, intending to destroy her.

"Not so fast, my dear!" Lord Kazuma said. "Chocolate Magician Girl's effect! Since she was targeted for an attack, I can target one Spellcaster monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it to my field. Return, Apple Magician Girl!" A teenage girl with short, dark-purple hair and a red magician's hat leapt onto Lord Kazuma's field. Unlike her ally, she wore red magician's clothing that covered the entire upper portion of her body. She also wore long, high-heeled red boots that had heart symbols on them. On her back were angelic, medium-sized wings.

**Apple Magician Girl ATK: 1200 DEF: 800 LV: 3**

"Chocolate Magician Girl then changes the attack target to the monster that was Special Summoned, which was Apple Magician Girl." Lord Kazuma continued. "And by doing so, your monster's attack points are halved!"

"What?" SengokuQueen replied in shock, as Chocolate Magician Girl fired a blast of magic from her wand, zapping Shi En and temporarily stopping him in his tracks.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 3000 / 2 = 1500**

"That's not all!" Lord Kazuma said. "Apple Magician Girl's effect! Since she was targeted for an attack, I can Special Summon one Level 5 or lower Spellcaster monster from my hand and change the attack target to it. By doing this, I can cut your monster's attack points even more. I therefore Special Summon Lemon Magician Girl from my hand!" A teenage girl with shoulder-length blond hair and a yellow, curved magician's hat with rings encircling it also appeared on Lord Kazuma's field. She wore piece's of yellow magician's clothing that covered the upper portion of her body, along with a part of her shoulders. Below her waist was a green skirt, with tight silver and black pants, along with yellow shoes. Like Apple Magician Girl, she had angelic wings on her back. In her right hand, she carried a small scepter.

**Lemon Magician Girl ATK: 800 DEF: 600 LV: 2**

Once Lemon Magician Girl was Special Summoned, Apple Magician Girl fired a blast of magic from her wand, also zapping Shi En and further stopping him in his tracks.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 1500 / 2 = 750**

"Lemon Magician Girl's effect! Since she was targeted for an attack, I can Special Summon one Spellcaster monster from my hand with its effects negated, and change the attack target to it. And just like before, I can cut your monster's attack points. Come forth, Dark Magician Girl!" A teenage girl in blue robes with a pink skirt and small pink cape winked at SengokuQueen as she joined the other Magician Girls on the field. She had long, blond spiky hair that extended to the middle of her back. On top of her head was a blue wizard's hat with pink rings encircling it. She also wore high-heeled blue boots with pink rings as well. In her hands, she carried a scepter.

**Dark Magician Girl ATK: 2000 DEF: 1700 LV: 6**

_You got to be kidding me_, SengokuQueen thought, as Lemon Magician Girl fired a blast of magical energy at Shi En, draining him further of the remaining strength he had.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 750 / 2 = 375**

"Now strike back, Dark Magician Girl!" Lord Kazuma commanded. "Dark Burning Attack!" Dark Magician Girl fired a blazing, magical blast at Shi En, who couldn't move much because his strength was drained.

"I activate Monk Halberd's second effect!" SengokuQueen said. "If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle, I can destroy this card instead!" The halberd vanished as Shi En withstood the attack. However, the same couldn't be said for SengokuQueen, as she had to shield herself from the blast.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En ATK: 375 – 500 = 0**

**SengokuQueen: 4000 – 2000 = 2000 LP**

"And since Monk Halberd was destroyed by its own effect, I can inflict 500 points of damage to you!" The halberd from earlier hurled itself towards Lord Kazuma, pushing him back as he took damage.

**Lord Kazuma: 4000 – 500 = 3500 LP**

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." SengokuQueen concluded, furious that she just lost half her life points in a single turn. _I have to be careful from now on_, she thought. _Or else this could be my last duel_!

"My turn! I draw!" Lord Kazuma said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I activate the Spell card, Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two cards from my deck!" He then drew the top two cards of his deck. "I also activate the Spell card, Sage's Stone! Since Dark Magician Girl is on my field, I can Special Summon Dark Magician from my deck! Appear, my ace monster!" On Lord Kazuma's command, a spellcaster in dark blue armor with shiny, curved plates that had sharp edges and covered the torso and shoulder areas appeared on his field. On the edges of the plates were curved trimmings of contrasting shade. He had blue-colored skin and white hair, and in his right hand was a dark blue rod.

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 LV: 7**

"Dark Magical Circle's effect! Whenever Dark Magician is Normal or Special Summoned, I can target one card you control and banish it!" Lord Kazuma snickered as he pondered over his options. "It isn't worth it to banish your monster, and I must ensure you can't throw anything I'm not prepared for. I know! I'll banish the face-down card on your left!"

"Oh no!" SengokuQueen said, as Dark Magical Circle fired a blast of energy at her face-down card, turning it into particles. _Wall of Disruption would have really helped right now._

"It's sad to see this performance end so soon," Lord Kazuma said, "but I am on a schedule. Battle! Dark Magician attacks your ace monster, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En! Dark Magic Attack!" Dark Magician fired a magical blast from his dark blue rod at Shi En, but...

"Quick-Play Spell, activate!" SengokuQueen interrupted. "Six Strike – Surprise Attack!" The card showed Legendary Six Samurai – Shinai and Legendary Six Samurai – Mizuho coming to Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En's aid, preventing Sword Hunter from killing him. "This card not only negates the attack and ends the Battle Phase, I can also Special Summon up to two 'Six Samurai' monsters from my Graveyard in defense position. Return, Kagemusha and Elder of the Six Samurai!" As Kagemusha and Elder of the Six Samurai reappeared on her field in defense position, a barrier formed around Shi En, protecting him from Dark Magician's attack.

**Kagemusha of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 1800 LV: 2**

**Elder of the Six Samurai ATK: 400 DEF: 0 LV: 3**

"Shien's Dojo's effect activates!"

**Shien's Dojo BC: 3 + 1 + 1 = 5**

Lord Kazuma clapped his hands. "How splendid! You chose to keep on fighting. Which means... Wait, hold on just a sec." He checked the watch function on his Duel Disk. "Okay, good. I can entertain you for a little longer, my dear." He then took the remaining two cards on his field and Set them face-down on his field. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn."

_Meanwhile, at another area of the sewer..._

The gate that Raguel went into spat him out, causing him to roll to the ground.

"Yuhiro? Can you hear me?" Roxy said over the earpiece. "Damn, even with the upgrades, there always seems to be some interference!"

"I hear you, Roxy." Raguel assured her, causing her to breath in relief as he got up and started walking forward.

"I'm guessing something bad has happened?" Roxy asked.

"Kazuma's antics again." Raguel answered. "Only this time, he-."

"He enslaved a Cyberse monster to his will, and is using it to kill Playmaker and Ai!" Herald interrupted. "As a result, Kazuma made us choose between aiding SengokuQueen or Playmaker."

"At SengokuQueen's urging, we left her to deal with Kazuma." Raguel finished for Herald. "Can you help us track down Playmaker?"

"Sure thing!" Roxy replied. "Just need an Ignis algorithm from Herald, and I can get to it."

"One Ignis algorithm, coming up!" Herald said, sending it to Roxy. Within moments, Raguel's Duel Disk started vibrating. "Looks like Roxy managed to create a path for us." Raguel then started running.

"Okay, you first want to keep running straight." Roxy instructed them. "Within one hundred and twenty steps, you'll want to take a left turn. Just keep an eye out for steep ledges."

As Raguel progressed through the sewer and continued to follow Roxy's instructions, he continued to see streams of data spilling out of openings and flowing downwards. _It must lead to the end of the sewer_, Raguel theorized. _And perhaps where the other Hanoi members are_.

Eventually, Roxy noticed something odd on the monitor.

"Uh, Yuhiro?"

"What is it?" Raguel asked.

"The path ends up showing two destinations." Roxy stated. "One where you turn right within thirty steps, and one that keeps increasing in terms of steps."

"Which should be where the data monster and Playmaker are." Raguel theorized.

"Hang on, Roxy." Herald interrupted, thinking. "You said there were two paths, correct?"

"Yup."

Herald kept pondering to himself until a revelation hit him. "Since Lord Kazuma said that he's enslaving the Cyberse monster, it could mean that nearby, there's a place that's controlling it. And if we were to destroy it..."

"We can free it from slavery and save Playmaker in the process!" Raguel realized. He then continued running straight, and within thirty steps, he turned right, entering a small area of the sewer.

"Whatever you find in there, be careful, Yuhiro." Roxy gently advised him. "And please try to not get injured like last time."

"Don't worry. I'll be careful." Raguel assured her. The next thing he knew, beams of red light were fired at him out of nowhere, making him roll to his left to avoid them. "Okay, who fired those laser beams?!"

"Unknown presence has entered the room," a mechanical voice said, as the room suddenly lit up, revealing Gradius. "Scanning. Presence recognized. Duelist known as Raguel identified. Duel threat: Five stars."

"Hang on a minute." Raguel said, recognizing Gradius as he stood up. "You're Lord Kazuma's messenger droid, aren't you?"

"Affirmative." Gradius confirmed, as suddenly, a wall rose behind Raguel, sealing him in the room with the droid. "I am Gradius, Lord Kazuma's messenger droid. He has tasked me to defeat you in a duel and acquire your Ignis."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen." Raguel stated. "I'm guessing Kazuma also tasked you to get rid of Playmaker as well?"

"Affirmative." Gradius once again confirmed, as a TV-screen rose behind it. "Right now, the Cyberse monster Lord Kazuma captured is being used to dispose of Playmaker. Eventually, the task will be fulfilled."

"And I'm presuming that if I beat you in a duel, I'll be able to free the Cyberse monster and save Playmaker?" Raguel asked, readying his Duel Disk.

"Affirmative." Gradius confirmed for a third time, readying its own Duel Disk. "As my masters are on a schedule, we should get started immediately."

"Kick its ass, Raguel!" Herald said.

"I couldn't agree more, Herald!" Raguel agreed with him.

"Duel!" Raguel and Gradius said at the same time.

**Raguel: 4000 LP**

**Gradius: 4000 LP**

"I shall go first," Gradius said, looking at its starting hand. "I activate the Field Spell card, B.E.F. Zelos. When this card is activated, I'm allowed to add a copy of 'Boss Rush' to my hand. In addition, all 'B.E.S.' monsters on my field gain 500 attack and defense points, and they can't be targeted nor destroyed by your card effects."

As Gradius added a card from his deck to his hand, the entire room transformed into a section of outer space, with spaceship debris floating around both duelists.

"Okay, I didn't know a Field Spell card like B.E.F. Zelos can do that." Herald said, marveling in the scenery. Meanwhile, Raguel narrowed his eyes as he looked around. B.E.S.? Wasn't that an old card archetype or something?

"B.E.F. Zelos' fourth effect!" Gradius said. "Once per turn, I'm allowed to Special Summon a 'B.E.S.' monster from my hand. Come, B.E.S. Big Core MK-3!" A massive spaceship with titanium coating and red and black lines all over its body hovered onto Gradius' field. On each side of the spaceship was a massive plasma cannon, with two small underbelly turrets accompanying it below the sides. At the front was a long barrel cannon, with two more turrets at each side. Finally, in the middle of the spaceship, there were three, bright blue cores.

**B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 ATK: 2700 DEF: 1900 LV: 8**

**B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 ATK: 2700 + 500 = 3200 DEF: 1900 + 500 = 2400**

"A monster over 3000 attack points on only the first turn?!" Herald exclaimed. Raguel grit his teeth. Something told him this duel was going to be a bit harder than he anticipated.

"When B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 is Normal or Special Summoned, I can place three counters on this card." Gradius explained. "Furthermore, the fifth effect of B.E.F. Zelos activates! When a 'B.E.S.' monster is Normal or Special Summoned, I can place one counter on it!"

**B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 C: 0 + 3 + 1 = 4**

"I summon B.E.S. Assault Core from my hand." A medium-sized, saucer-like ship hovered onto Gradius' field. Unlike Big Core MK-3, this ship had murky edged armor surrounding the core, with a turret at the end of each armor plate. The ship was also surrounded by two small mines, which emitted a plasma field. At the middle of the ship was a single, plasma core.

**B.E.S. Assault Core ATK: 1300 DEF: 2000 LV: 4**

**B.E.S. Assault Core ATK: 1300 + 500 = 1800 DEF: 2000 + 500 = 2500**

"B.E.F. Zelos' effect!"

**B.E.S. Assault Core C: 0 + 1 = 1**

"I Set three cards face-down and end my turn." Gradius concluded.

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said, drawing the top card of his deck. "Hey Roxy, are you familiar with the B.E.S. archetype by any chance?"

"Why yes, yes I am." Roxy answered over the earpiece. "The 'B.E.S.' deck focuses on swarming the field with high level monsters from the hand or deck. Also, as long as their Field Spell card is on the field, they basically have blanket protection to anything you can throw at them. Oh, and I have some info specifically for Herald."

"And what info would that be?" Herald asked, now curious about what Roxy's going to tell him.

"The entire 'B.E.S.' archetype is based on the bosses of the _Gradius_ video game series." Roxy stated, causing Herald to widen his eyes in surprise.

"WWWWHHHHAAAATTTT?" Herald replied. "So you're saying that we're facing off against a _video game_ deck? AWESOME!"

Raguel facepalmed himself upon witnessing Herald's reaction. Playmaker and Ai were in danger, and Herald was ecstatic to face off against a deck based off a video game series? You have got to be kidding me.

"Herald, may I inform you that Playmaker and Ai are in danger?" Raguel reminded the ecstatic Ignis, snapping him out of it. "The sooner we defeat this droid, the sooner we can save them."

"Right, right." Herald nodded. "But still, it's totally like we're the protagonists flying the Vic Viper spaceship into battle, where we must protect mankind from the Bacterian Empire!"

Raguel rolled his eyes. _I have to start my turn, or I'll be arguing with an awestruck Herald_, he thought. "I'll start by summoning Cyreath Beastmaster from my hand!" A short, armored creature wearing a horned helmet on its head and armor over its body jumped onto Raguel's field. It carried a short axe in its right hand. On its back, it carried a large horn.

**Cyreath Beastmaster ATK: 0 DEF: 1500 LV: 4**

"When Cyreath Beastmaster is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my hand. Come, Cyreath Archer!" A female archer with pink hair and a light-green cloak also joined Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared in the sky above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set Cyreath Beastmaster into the Link Markers!" Beastmaster went into the top arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Pseudo!" A watery spirit with one eye, two long arms, and a tail appeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 0 LINK-1** ⬆️

"Pseudo's effect! It gains attack points equal to the monster it points to!" Raguel continued. "And since Pseudo is pointing to Big Core MK-3, it gains 3200 attack points!" Pseudo morphed its body into a watery version of Big Core MK-3.

**Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 0 + 3200 = 3200**

"Enemy ship captured!" Herald cheered, much to Raguel's slight irritation.

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Cyreath Dispel from my hand!" Raguel continued. The card showed Cyreath Caster on top of a cliff, as she chanted a spell over the nearby land, draining it of its nutrients. "This card lets me target one Spell or Trap card you control and destroy it!" _If I find and destroy Boss Rush_, he thought, _I'll be able to delay Gradius for one turn_. "I choose the card on your right!" Cyreath Dispel fired a purple blast at the face-down card on the right, revealing itself to be the Trap card, Alert, before vanishing into yellow particles.

"Smart move, Yuhiro!" Roxy praised him over the earpiece. "That Trap card would have let it activate Boss Rush on your turn, so you should be able to get some damage in without any interruptions."

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "By cutting any battle damage Cyreath Archer inflicts this turn, she gets to attack you directly!" Archer pulled an arrow from her quiver farther back than she intended before releasing it at Gradius, but...

"Trap card, activate!" Gradius said. "Damage Diet! All damage I take is halved this turn!" The arrow that would have hit the droid shrunk, touching its armor briefly before falling to the ground.

**Gradius: 4000 – ((1400 / 2) / 2) = 3650 LP**

"Damn it." Raguel muttered to himself, slightly annoyed with what just happened. He then redirected his attention to the duel and thrusted out his right hand. "Now, Cyreath Pseudo! Attack B.E.S. Assault Core!" At Raguel's command, Pseudo fired several shots of water at Assault Core, short-circuiting the machine and destroying it completely.

**Gradius: 3650 – (1400 / 2) = 2950 LP**

"I Set three cards face-down and end my turn." Raguel concluded.

"We just scored one thousand and fifty points for us, Raguel!" Herald cheered, turning around and attempting to give Raguel a high-five, which he just ignored.

"Are you still awestruck about what Roxy told you?" Raguel asked him, getting his attention. "Get your head out of the clouds and back in the duel at hand!"

"My turn! I draw!" Gradius said, interrupting their conversation and drawing the top card of its deck. "Continuous-Spell card, activate! Boss Rush! During the End Phase of the turn that a 'B.E.S.' monster or 'Big Core' is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I'm allowed to Special Summon one 'B.E.S.' monster or 'Big Core' from my deck."

"Boss Rush is the card that gets the deck moving, right Roxy?" Raguel asked her.

"Afraid so." Roxy confirmed. "But at least it didn't activate that card on _your_ turn." Raguel couldn't help but agree with her.

"Continuous-Trap card, activate!" Gradius continued, gesturing to the other face-down card on its field. "Cyber Summon Blaster! Each time a Machine monster is Special Summoned, you take 300 points of damage!" Raguel frowned as a machine with treads and a cannon that looked like a light fixture emerged on the field.

"Using the fourth effect of B.E.F. Zelos, I Special Summon B.E.S. Tetran from my hand!" A large spaceship that was heavily covered in brown-coated armor hovered onto Gradius' field. Unlike most ships, Tetran only had a single plasma core, with four frontal cannons at the front of the ship. But what made it different from the others were the four, long tentacles it had at the underbelly.

**B.E.S. Tetran ATK: 1800 DEF: 2300 LV: 6**

**B.E.S. Tetran ATK: 1800 + 500 = 2300 DEF: 2300 + 500 = 2800**

"B.E.F. Zelos' effect!"

**B.E.S. Tetran C: 0 + 1 = 1**

"As a Machine monster was Special Summoned," Gradius added, "Cyber Summon Blaster inflicts 300 points of damage to you." Cyber Summon Blaster fired a burst of electricity at Raguel, slightly shocking him in the process.

**Raguel: 4000 – 300 = 3700 LP**

"Ouch!" Raguel shouted. "That stung!"

"If Lord Kazuma were here, he would say the following statement: Ha, ha, ha." Gradius commented. "Tetran's effect! Once per turn, I can remove one counter to destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field. I choose to destroy the card on your far left!" Two of Tetran's tentacles then fired blasts of energy at the designated card, turning it into yellow particles.

**B.E.S. Tetran C: 1 – 1 = 0**

_Cyreath Launch would have helped in evading those massive spaceships_, Raguel thought, having lost one way to win this duel.

"Circuit, open!" Gradius declared, its hands glowing blue as a Link Portal appeared above the droid. "The summoning conditions are one 'B.E.S.' monster! I'll Set B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 into the Link Markers!" Big Core MK-3 then went into the bottom-left arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! B.E.S. Gigas!" A large spaceship with silver coating and a purple and violet paintjob hovered in the right Extra Monster Zone on Gradius' field. It had two large ammunition cannons near the center, with a plasma cannon in front of the core. Near the plasma turret were two pieces of armor that were shaped like blades.

**B.E.S. Gigas ATK: 0 LINK-1** ↙️

"When B.E.S. Gigas is Link Summoned, it gains attack points equal to the original attack points of the 'B.E.S.' monster used as Link Material!" Gigas' core glowed with energy as it powered up.

**B.E.S. Gigas ATK: 0 + 2700 = 2700**

"Cyber Summon Blaster's effect!" For a second time, Cyber Summon Blaster fired a burst of electricity at Raguel, giving him another small shock.

**Raguel: 3700 – 300 = 3400 LP**

"Also, since Big Core MK-3 is no longer on my field, Pseudo is no longer pointing to any monsters." Gradius pointed out.

"Which means that Pseudo loses all its attack points." Raguel finished for the droid, as Pseudo morphed back to its original form.

**Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 3200 – 3200 = 0**

"Battle!" Gradius declared. "B.E.S. Gigas attacks Cyreath Pseudo!" Gigas fired its cannons at Pseudo, but...

"Trap card, activate!" Raguel interrupted. "Cyreath Counter-Shuffle! Since you declared an attack with a Link Monster, I can negate the attack, and then return that monster right back to your Extra Deck!" Pseudo morphed its body to avoid the blasts, and counterattacked by firing a blast of water from its eye, returning it back to Gradius' Extra Deck.

"Conditions have been met. Gigas' second effect activates!" Gradius responded. "As it left the field, I can Special Summon one 'B.E.S' monster from my Graveyard. Return, B.E.S. Big Core MK-3!" The massive spaceship from earlier reappeared on the droid's field.

**B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 ATK: 2700 DEF: 1900 LV: 8**

**B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 ATK: 2700 + 500 = 3200 DEF: 1900 + 500 = 2400**

"The effects of B.E.F. Zelos, Big Core MK-3, and Cyber Summon Blaster activate at the same time!" Gradius stated. "Big Core MK-3 gains three counters upon being Normal or Special Summoned, while B.E.F. Zelos places a counter on it. You also take 300 more points of damage because a Machine monster was Special Summoned."

**B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 C: 0 + 3 + 1 = 4**

Within moments, Cyber Summon Blaster fired a third burst of electricity at Raguel, giving him another slight shock.

**Raguel: 3400 – 300 = 3100 LP**

"The battle still continues. B.E.S. Tetran attacks Cyreath Pseudo!" Tetran charged its frontal cannons, ready to fire at Pseudo. However...

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Cyreath Providence!" Raguel said, gesturing to his remaining face-down card. "When this card is activated, immediately after this effect resolves, I can Link Summon one 'Cyreath' Link Monster by shuffling 'Cyreath' monsters from my Graveyard to my deck and/or Extra Deck!" He pointed to the sky. "Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters. I'll shuffle Cyreath Pseudo, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Archer in my deck and Extra Deck to set them into the Link Markers!" One blast of energy went out of Raguel's Graveyard and into the top arrowhead, while the other one went into the bottom-arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Ride into battle! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the right Extra Monster Zone. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"You going to resume your attack, piece of junk?" Raguel taunted the droid.

"Affirmative." Gradius confirmed. "B.E.S. Tetran will instead attack Cyreath Chariot Commander!" Tetran fired blasts of energy at Chariot Commander, destroying it completely.

**Raguel: 3100 – 300 = 2800 LP**

"At the end of the damage step, I must remove one counter from Tetran. However, as there's no counters, it's automatically destroyed." Tetran suddenly exploded, its usefulness having run out.

"I see..." Raguel muttered. _Every time one of those B.E.S. monsters attack, the droid has to remove a counter from it_, he thought. _Otherwise, they're destroyed. However, with Boss Rush, the droid can simply replace the fallen machine with a new one_.

"With that, I end my turn." Gradius concluded. "At it's my End Phase, the effect of Boss Rush activates. Since a 'B.E.S.' monster or 'Big Core' was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I'm allowed to Special Summon one 'B.E.S.' monster or 'Big Core' from my deck." A card popped out of its deck. "I Special Summon B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core from my deck!" A second massive spaceship in the shape of a large, flying saucer hovered above the droid's field. It had four, huge plasma cannons, with two at the front of each side. Huge thrusters were at the back, letting it stay afloat. At the center was a large, plasma core.

**B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core ATK: 2500 DEF: 3000 LV: 9**

**B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000 DEF: 3000 + 500 = 3500**

"The effects of B.E.F. Zelos, B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core, and Cyber Summon Blaster simultaneously activate! Blaster Cannon Core gains three counters upon being Normal or Special Summoned, while B.E.F. Zelos places a counter on it. In addition, because a Machine monster was Special Summoned, you take 300 points of damage!"

**B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core C: 0 + 3 + 1 = 4**

Soon, Cyber Summon Blaster fired a fourth burst of electricity at Raguel, giving him another shock in the process.

**Raguel: 2800 – 300 = 2500 LP**

"Damage even during the End Phase?" Raguel said, shaking the dust off himself. "This robot is actually doing a better job than Kitamura's AI Duelists."

"Who knew that an old archetype like B.E.S. would give you a hard time, huh Yuhiro?" Roxy commented.

"Chariot Commander should've done a barrel roll!" Herald said, a little upset. "There's no way I'm losing to that robot!"

"In a video game, or in an actual duel?" Raguel inquired.

"Why, both of course!" Herald immediately responded, much to Raguel's amusement.

Raguel then frowned. _Hopefully, SengokuQueen is in a better position than I am_, he thought.

_Meanwhile, at Lord Kazuma and SengokuQueen's duel..._

"It's my turn!" SengokuQueen said, drawing the top card of her deck. "I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Six Samurai United! Each time I Normal or Special Summon a 'Six Samurai' monster, I can place a Bushido counter on this card!"

She thrusted out her right hand. "Appear, the circuit of ancient honor!" A Link Portal soon appeared above her head. "The summoning conditions are two or more monsters, including a 'Six Samurai' monster! I'll set Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En, Kagemusha of the Six Samurai, and Elder of the Six Samurai into the Link Markers!" Shi En went into the top arrowhead, Kagemusha went into the bottom-right arrowhead, while Elder of the Six Samurai went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 3! Legendary Six Samurai – Ujisato!" A samurai with scarlet armor and a blazing wakibiki around his waist leapt onto SengokuQueen's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. While the upper portion of his body had less armor, the lower portion covered half of his legs. He wore his hair in a long ponytail, with a red, visor less samurai helmet to accompany it. In his right hand was a kunitomo, a long samurai gun. Whereas in his left hand, he carried a tanegashima, a short samurai gun.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Ujisato ATK: 2500 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

"If Ujisato is Link Summoned, I'm allowed to place Bushido counters on this card equal to the number of 'Six Samurai' monsters used as Link Material!" SengokuQueen explained, as three Bushido symbols appeared on each of Ujisato's guns.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Ujisato BC: 0 + 3 = 3**

"The effects of Shien's Dojo and Six Samurai United activate!"

**Shien's Dojo BC: 5 + 1 = 6**

**Six Samurai United BC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"I activate the effect of Shien's Dojo! By sending it from my field to my Graveyard, I can Special Summon one 'Six Samurai' monster from my deck whose level is less than or equal to the number of Bushido counters Shien's Dojo had. Come, The Six Samurai – Yaichi!" A samurai wearing bronze armor with yellow glowing outlines appeared on SengokuQueen's field. The samurai had long, black hair, tied in a ponytail at the end. Unlike his comrades, his samurai helmet was tall, and had a scope on the right side. On his left side was a quiver, carrying arrows. He strung his bow and arrow at Lord Kazuma, ready for battle.

**The Six Samurai – Yaichi ATK: 1300 DEF: 800 LV: 3**

_Shien's Dojo lets her Special Summon any 'Six Samurai' monster from her deck as long as its level is lower or equal_, Lord Kazuma pondered. _Why would she summon a monster that's only Level 3_?

"Six Samurai United's effect!"

**Six Samurai United BC: 1 + 1 = 2**

"I activate the second effect of Six Samurai United!" SengokuQueen quickly added. "Since the maximum counters it can have is two, I will send it to the Graveyard, and by doing so, I can draw one card for each Bushido counter that was on it. As there were two Bushido counters, I get to draw two cards!" She drew the top two cards of her deck. _These will definitely help_, she realized, looking over the cards. "I summon Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan from my hand!" A samurai with dark blue armor appeared on her field. Unlike his brethren, this samurai's mask did not come with the helmet. His long black hair was on his sides, and he carried a katana in his hands.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan ATK: 1800 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"Kizan's effect! Since I have two or more other 'Six Samurai' monsters on my field, it gains 300 attack and defense points!"

**Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan ATK: 1800 + 300 = 2100 DEF: 500 + 300 = 800**

"I'll also activate Yaichi's effect!" SengokuQueen said. "Once per turn, if I control another 'Six Samurai' monster, I can target one Set Spell or Trap card on your field and destroy it! However, Yaichi can't attack. Say goodbye to the facedown card on your left!" Yaichi grabbed a glowing arrow from his quiver and fired it at the facedown card, turning it into particles, much to Lord Kazuma's irritation.

"If you think I'm done, you're mistaken! I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Six Scrolls of the Six Samurai! By tributing two 'Six Samurai' monsters, I can Special Summon Great Shogun Shien from my deck!" A card popped out of her deck, which she grabbed. "Emerge and aid me in this battle, Great Shogun Shien!" As Kizan and Yaichi disappeared from the field, a samurai with blood-red crimson armor and a long, magenta cape on his back joined SengokuQueen's field in one of the Main Monster Zones Ujisato is pointing to. His eyes glowed red, as he swung his katana, ready for battle.

**Great Shogun Shien ATK: 2500 DEF: 2400 LV: 7**

"Last but not least, I activate Ujisato's effect!" SengokuQueen continued. "Once per turn, if Ujisato is pointing to a 'Six Samurai' or 'Shien' monster, I can remove as many Bushido counters to destroy that many cards on your field! I remove all three Bushido counters to destroy Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, and your face-down card!" As all three Bushido symbols disappeared from Ujisato's guns, he fired a debris of gunfire at the designated cards. However...

"Not so fast!" Lord Kazuma said. "Quick-Play Spell, activate! Secrets of Dark Magic! This card lets me activate one of two effects! I choose to activate the first effect, which lets me Fusion Summon using monsters from my hand or field, including Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl as Fusion Material! In this case, I'll use both Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl as Fusion Materials to perform a Fusion Summon!" Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl disintegrated into blue and red particles of energy, which went into a Dark Magical Circle above them.

"The ultimate wizard and his apprentice shall unite to unlock their true strength together!" Lord Kazuma chanted. "Fusion Summon! Come forth! Level 8! The Dark Magicians!" Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl returned from the whirlwind and reappeared in the right Extra Monster Zone on his field. Only this time, their robes were both more ornate than before.

**The Dark Magicians ATK: 2800 DEF: 2300 LV: 8**

_I can't believe he Fusion Summoned during my turn_, SengokuQueen thought, upset with what Lord Kazuma just did. _His monsters on the other hand can be destroyed through regular methods, so it's only a setback I'll have to deal with next turn_. "Battle! Legendary Six Samurai – Ujisato attacks Lemon Magician Girl!" Ujisato fired a debris of gunfire at Lemon Magician Girl, turning her into particles. Lord Kazuma had to use his arms to shield his body from the bullets as his life points dropped.

**Lord Kazuma: 3500 – 1700 = 1800 LP**

"Great Shogun Shien now attacks Apple Magician Girl!" Great Shogun Shien charged forward and slashed Apple Magician Girl, destroying her and causing an explosion, causing Lord Kazuma to fall to the ground in the process.

**Lord Kazuma: 1800 – 1300 = 500 LP**

"I end my turn." SengokuQueen concluded. _With Great Shogun Shien on the field, he can only activate one Spell or Trap card_, she thought. _On my next turn, he's finished_!

"It looks like I need to get serious with you." Lord Kazuma said, a snicker on his face as he got up. "My turn! I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck. "I activate the effect of the Trap card, Magicians' Surprise, from my Graveyard!"

"What?" SengokuQueen said, as it dawned on her. _That must be the face-down card I destroyed with Yaichi_, she realized. Soon, a silhouette of a card appeared on Lord Kazuma's field, which showed Dark Magician Girl exiting from Mystic Box, having escaped harm.

"By banishing this card, along with two Spellcaster monsters from my Graveyard," Lord Kazuma explained, "I can Special Summon a Dark Spellcaster monster from my hand, deck, or Graveyard! I banish this card, along with Apple Magician Girl and Lemon Magician Girl to bring back my Dark Magician!" At Lord Kazuma's command, Dark Magician reappeared on his field.

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 LV: 7**

"The effect of The Dark Magicians' activates! Since a Spell, Trap, or monster effect was activated, I get to draw a card, and if it's a Spell or Trap card, I can Set it. In addition, if the card I draw is a Trap or Quick-Play Spell, I get to activate it this turn!" He then raised his hand into the air. "By the heart of the cards, I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck and smirked upon seeing what it was. "I'll Set the card I drew face-down on my field."

"Keep in mind that while Great Shogun Shien is on my field, you can only activate one Spell or Trap card per turn!" SengokuQueen reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Lord Kazuma replied. "But I'll easily rectify that little problem!" He thrusted out his right hand. "Battle! The Dark Magicians attacks Great Shogun Shien! Dark Burning Impact!" The powered up Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl joined forces as they fired a blast of magical energy from their respective weapons at Great Shogun Shien, destroying him completely.

**SengokuQueen: 2000 – 300 = 1700 LP**

"With Great Shogun Shien gone, I can now activate the Trap card, Destruct Potion! It lets me destroy a monster I control and gain life points equal to its attack points! I choose The Dark Magicians!" The crowd gasped as The Dark Magicians suddenly exploded, as they turned into yellow particles that touched Lord Kazuma, increasing his life points.

**Lord Kazuma: 500 + 2800 = 3300 LP**

"Don't worry, everyone. Because I have a surprise for all of you!" Lord Kazuma exclaimed. "When The Dark Magicians is destroyed, I can Special Summon a copy of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl from my hand, deck, or Graveyard!" One card popped out of his Graveyard, while the other popped out of his deck. "Grace the field once more, Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl!" A second copy of Dark Magician appeared on Lord Kazuma's field, while Dark Magician Girl returned to the field at the same time, causing the crowd to go wild.

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 LV: 7**

**Dark Magician Girl ATK: 2000 DEF: 1700 LV: 6**

"Now, appear! The network of dark magic!" Lord Kazuma declared, as his hand glowed yellow and a galaxy portal appeared in the sky above the duelists. "Materials confirmed! The summoning conditions are two Level 7 Spellcaster monsters! I overlay my two Level 7 Dark Magicians!" Both Dark Magicians turned into dark blue streams of energy that entered the portal, where a pillar of light soon erupted from its center.

"Xyz Summon! Magician from another dimension! Emerge, and unleash your magic on my enemies! Rank 7! Ebon High Magician!" A magician with dark blue and white clothing leapt from the portal and onto the right Extra Monster Zone on Lord Kazuma's field. The magician had spiky, brown hair, with a unique blur magician's hat that had gold outlines on it. Two red circles, one at his neck and one at his lower waist, were on his robes, along with golden outlines. On his arms, there was also white-armoured plating. In his left hand, he carried a long scepter that had a red circle in the middle.

**Ebon High Magician ATK: 2300 DEF: 2800 RNK: 3 OU: 2**

"And with that, I shall end my turn." Lord Kazuma concluded, giving a little bow.

_Not only did he regain the life points he lost_, SengokuQueen thought, _but he also Xyz Summoned a monster with the opposite stats The Dark Magicians had. _Ultimately, this question was on her mind: What was Lord Kazuma planning?

_At Raguel and Gradius' duel..._

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I activate the Spell card, Pandora's Box. This card lets me draw until I have five cards in my hand. However, I must discard a 'Cyreath' monster from my hand at the end of my turn, or I'll take 2000 points of damage." He then drew the top five cards of his deck. "Next, I activate Link Reborn from my hand, which lets me Special Summon one Link Monster from my Graveyard! However, it can't attack for the rest of this turn! Come back, Chariot Commander!" Chariot Commander reappeared on Raguel's field, or more specifically, in the Main Monster Zone that pointed to the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"From my hand, I'll use Cyreath Doppelganger's effect! Since I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A pale, shadowy man materialized itself on Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Doppelganger ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared in the sky above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set Cyreath Doppelganger into the Link Markers!" Doppelganger went into the bottom-left arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Skull Wing!" A small skull with wings was summoned to the Extra Monster Zone Chariot Commander was pointing to.

**Cyreath Skull Wing ATK: 300 LINK-1** ↙️

"Chariot Commander's effect!" Raguel continued. "When a monster is summoned to a zone this card points to, I can destroy one card you control! And I'll choose B.E.F. Zelos!" Chariot Commander threw a fireball right at B.E.F. Zelos, incinerating the card completely. "Without your Field Spell card, you know what that means, scrap-heap!"

**B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core ATK: 3000 - 500 = 3000 DEF: 3500 - 500 = 3000**

**B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 ATK: 3200 - 500 = 2700 DEF: 2400 - 500 = 1900**

"Appear, for the second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A second Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Chariot Commander, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Skull Wing, which is a Link 1 monster, into the Link Markers!" Chariot Commander split into two and entered the left and right arrowheads, while Skull Wing went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Heed the captain's call! Link 3! Cyreath Galactic Squid!" A red-skinned octopus with a white underbelly and four tentacles was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field. The squid had black eyes flashing yellow dots, and multiple rows of teeth within its maw.

**Cyreath Galactic Squid ATK: 2300 LINK-3** ⬅️➡️⬆️

"Skull Wing's effect!" Raguel added. "Since it was used to Link Summon, you take 300 points of damage!" A silhouette of Skull Wing appeared and went through Gradius, who had no reaction whatsoever.

**Gradius: 2950 – 300 = 2650 LP**

"I'll then activate Galactic Squid's effect! When it's Link Summoned, I can target two Main Monster Zones on your side of the field, and you can't use them as long as this card is on the field! I choose the middle and far-left Main Monster Zones!" Galactic Squid fired two blasts of ink at those zones, turning them black and preventing the droid from using them. "But why stop with one effect, when I can use the other one as well! Since I control no other monsters, I can tribute this card to shuffle all other cards on the field back into their owner's decks! Bright Overload!" Galactic Squid's black eyes became very bright before firing a massive beam of light from its mouth at every card on Gradius' field, turning them into yellow particles as they returned to the droid's deck. Galactic Squid then vanished afterwards.

"Enemy defenses down!" Herald cheered.

"That's the spirit, Yuhiro!" Roxy cheered as well. "Although I do hope you have a plan on damaging this robot further."

"Don't worry. I definitely have a plan." Raguel told her. He then redirected his attention back to the duel. "I activate the second effect of Doppelganger from my Graveyard! Once per duel, by banishing one 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard, I get to Special Summon this card to my field in attack position. I banish Cyreath Beastmaster from my Graveyard to Special Summon Doppelganger back to my field!" Doppelganger, for a second time, materialized itself onto Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Doppelganger ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"Appear, for the third time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A third Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are one 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Doppelganger into the Link Markers!" Doppelganger went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬇️

"Scorpius' effect!" Raguel said. "Once per turn, when I control no monsters in the Main Monster Zone, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Archer!" The pink-haired, female archer from earlier reappeared onto Raguel's field in the Main Monster Zone Scorpius was pointing to.

**Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"Time to battle! Cyreath Archer attacks you directly!" Archer grabbed an arrow from her quiver and fired it at Gradius. This time, the arrow pierced the droid's body, pushing it slightly back.

**Gradius: 2650 – 1400 = 1250 LP**

"Scorpius also attacks you directly!" Scorpius charged forward at Gradius and slashed Gradius with its claws, pushing it back a second time.

**Gradius: 1250 – 1000 = 250 LP**

"So close!" Herald exclaimed. "It has a few hit points to go, and then we win!"

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Raguel concluded. "As my turn is over, I'll discard Cyreath Barbarian from my hand to avoid the 2000 penalty for activating Pandora's Box."

"My turn! I draw!" Gradius said, drawing the top card of its deck. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, B.E.S. Launch!" The card showed B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 flying out of a massive battle station. Accompanying it were several B.E.S. Armored Cores. "This card lets me Special Summon one 'B.E.S.' monster from my deck, with its effects negated. Emerge, B.E.S. Big Core MK-3!" A second copy of Big Core MK-3 materialized itself onto the droid's field.

**B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 ATK: 2700 DEF: 1900 LV: 8**

"Battle! B.E.S. Big Core MK-3 attacks Cyreath Scorpius!" Big Core MK-3 charged its plasma cannons before firing them at Scorpius, vanquishing the scorpion completely as Raguel shielded himself from the oncoming blaster fire.

**Raguel: 2800 – 1700 = 1100 LP**

"I activate the Trap card, Cyreath Succession!" Raguel said. "Since a 'Cyreath' monster I control left the field, I can Special Summon a 'Cyreath' monster, except a Link Monster, from my Graveyard. However, its effects are negated. Return, Cyreath Doppelganger!" For a third time, Doppelganger materialized itself onto Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Doppelganger ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LV: 4**

"I end my turn." Gradius concluded. "Chances of victory: 70%. As long as Raguel doesn't draw a Spell or Trap card, the odds are in my favor."

"You seriously believe the odds are in your favor due to that monster of yours?!" Raguel taunted Gradius. "I'll defy those odds and smash you to bits!"

"As Lord Kazuma would say: _Prove_ it."

"My turn! I draw!" Raguel drew the top card of his deck. _Just what I needed_, he thought. "I summon Cyreath Icarus from my hand!" An angelic warrior wearing a white tunic and brown sandals flew onto Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LV: 3**

"When Icarus is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Cyreath Barbarian, you're up!" A man with spiked cuffs, close-cropped blond hair and mustache joined Raguel's field.

**Cyreath Barbarian ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared in the sky above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two monsters, except tokens! I'll set Cyreath Barbarian and Cyreath Icarus into the Link Markers!" Barbarian went into the left arrowhead, while Icarus went into the right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Progleo!" A white-furred cub with orange eyes emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone. The cub had a satellite dish around its neck, as well as an old video recorder on his back. He also had a small brace on each of its claws, and a small coil attached to his tail.

**Progleo ATK: 1000 LINK-2 **⬅️➡️

"Yeah!" Herald said. "Help us get the high score, Progleo!"

"I'm going to get experience points!" Progleo said, as he turned his head at Gradius and growled at it.

"Barbarian's effect!" Raguel continued, now tired with this duel. "Since it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned monster gains 500 attack points!"

**Progleo ATK: 1000 + 500 = 1500**

"In addition, I activate the Spell card, Link Bypass!" The card showed Linkuriboh crossing a bridge over several Giant Orc's. "This card lets me target one Link Monster I control, and by doing so, it gets to attack directly this turn!"

"Malfunction... Malfunction..." Gradius said, having realized that it was screwed.

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Progleo attacks you directly! Playful Pounce!" Progleo ran on top of a bridge generated by Link Bypass and then lunged at Gradius, mauling the droid to death as its life points dropped to zero.

**Gradius: 250 – 1500 = 0**

Even after the duel was done, Progleo still continued to rip Gradius apart for several minutes. By the time he was finished, the droid looked like it was completely damaged. Progleo then turned to Raguel and Herald before smiling at them.

"You did an excellent job, Progleo!" Raguel praised the cub, as he walked over to where he was and petted him on the head. "Good boy."

"And you got lots of experience points too!" Herald added, giving Progleo a thumbs up before the cub detected something with his nose. "Everything okay?"

"I found something!" Progleo replied, following the trail, the others walking behind him. Within moments, the cub found the source. In front of them was a large control panel.

"This must be how Lord Kazuma controlled the Cyberse monster..." Raguel muttered, as he touched the control panel. "You seeing this, Roxy?"

"Yup!" Roxy confirmed. "But enough dilly-dallying. The sooner we get started, the faster we can save Playmaker and Ai!"

"Got it!" Raguel then stretched his hands before turning on the system and getting started. For several minutes, he typed different elements of code into the system along with Roxy, trying to break the code. Soon, their efforts paid off, as the screen then showed 'Enact Freedom Protocol?'.

"Enacting Freedom Protocol NOW!" Raguel said, as he pressed the 'Enter' button on the large control panel, sending the code into the system and to the Cyberse monster. "Hope this works."

_Elsewhere, in another part of the sewer..._

"For goodness sake, Playmaker! Run. Faster!" Ai ordered him, as Playmaker continued running from the data monster.

"And I told you, Ai. I'm running as fast as I can!" Playmaker responded, eventually reaching a dead end. "A dead end?"

"Not good, Yusaku." Kusanagi said, seeing the pickle Playmaker was in due to the monitor. "But based on these readings, you're getting close to the anomaly, if you ask me."

"But we're as good as dead!" Ai panicked, as the data monster started approaching them, intending on eating them both. Suddenly, it experienced a splitting headache, causing the monster to hit both sides of the wall. As a result, a piece of the ceiling cracked, causing several large pieces of rubble to fall and create a hole in the ground. Right before it could step over the hole and get destroyed, the data monster fell onto its back, its suffering finally over as it breathed its last.

"We're saved!" Ai cheered, as the data monster started melting, revealing something at its core that surprised everyone.

"Yusaku! Are you seeing what I'm seeing?!" Kusanagi asked, clearly shocked.

"Yeah." Playmaker responded, jumping over the hole and to the data monster's remnants.

"A Cyberse monster was... going to kill us?!" Ai said in shock, looking at the Cyberse card. "No. That isn't possible. If anything, the Knights of Hanoi corrupted this card. Enslaved it for their wicked plans!"

"But it's now free, Ai. From its suffering." Playmaker told him, picking up the Cyberse card and reading it. "Zombie Prosaber." After looking at the card, he then inserted it into his Duel Disk. Soon after, Playmaker's Duel Disk started ringing, indicating that he got a call from Raguel.

"You guys alright?" Raguel asked on the other end.

"We're fine. Wait. How did you know we were in trouble?" Playmaker replied.

"A Knight of Hanoi named Kazuma made you a part of his twisted game." Herald answered. "We're about to leave and aid SengokuQueen in her duel against him. What about you?"

"That's simple!" Ai stated. "We're going to figure out what this anomaly is, and then pummel the Hanoi into tomorrow's breakfast!"

"I don't think AI's eat, Ai." Playmaker casually told the Ignis. "Regardless, finding out what the anomaly is takes high priority."

"Right." Raguel agreed. "We'll-." Suddenly, the feed began to cut out.

"Raguel? Herald?" Playmaker said.

"Someone's interfering with the call." Kusanagi stated, typing on the keypad back at Café Nagi. "I'll try and re-establish it, if you want."

"Raguel and Herald will be fine. I trust them." Playmaker stated, looking at the hole. "I'm going to investigate, Kusanagi."

"All right. Just be careful." With that, Playmaker leapt into the hole and to another section of the sewer.

_At the room where Raguel was..._

"Playmaker? Ai?" Raguel said, realizing that somebody was interfering with the call. And it was obvious who was responsible upon hearing laughter...

"Congratulations on defeating Gradius, Raguel," a video recording of Lord Kazuma said, as it appeared on the screen. "I apologize for not being here in person, but I'd like to inform you of some details."

"And what details would that be?" Raguel demanded.

"Why, for starters, you can't get out of this room yet because my duel with SengokuQueen isn't over." Lord Kazuma answered. Another window then appeared beside the recording, which showed live footage of the duel between the real Lord Kazuma and SengokuQueen. "And you can't leave until it's over."

"We'll see about that!" And Lord Kazuma laughed in response as the recording ended.

"Raguel, this isn't the time to get angry." Herald advised him. "You remember the last time it happened, right?"

"I'm well aware, Herald." Raguel answered, walking over to the sealed door and trying to smash his way through with his sword and gun. "Damn. Even with my artillery, I can't use force. Can you do something on your end, Roxy?"

"I'll try." Roxy replied, now beginning to type. "But who knows what security Kazuma put in for the sewers?"

"Just do your best, Roxy." Raguel said, in between deep breaths. "I'll see if I can do anything on my end in the meanwhile." He then walked back to the large control panel and began typing a series of code into it. _If I hurry, perhaps I can create a backdoor program_, he theorized in his mind. _Just hope I'm not too late_.

_At Lord Kazuma and SengokuQueen's duel..._

"My turn! I draw!" SengokuQueen said, drawing the top card of her deck. _If I attack his monster, he'll activate its effect_, she realized. _Which means I'll have to end this duel with a direct attack_. "I'll start by activating the Spell card, Enduring Draw!" The card showed a duelist with Marauding Captain and Trident Warrior drawing cards from their deck. "Once per duel, by banishing up to three Warrior monsters from my Graveyard, I can draw up to three cards from my deck! I banish The Six Samurai - Yaichi, Kagemusha of the Six Samurai, and Elder of the Six Samurai!" She then drew the top three cards of her deck. "From there, I summon The Six Samurai – Yariza!" A samurai with dark-blue armor and neon-lines on it leapt onto SengokuQueen's field. His helmet covered not only his head, but his face as well. In his right hand, he carried a long whip.

**The Six Samurai – Yariza ATK: 1000 DEF: 500 LV: 3**

"Last but not least, I activate the Spell card, Essence of the Six Samurai!" The card showed Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En's body decaying, as his spirit went into Legendary Six Samurai – Enishi. "By tributing a 'Six Samurai' monster I control, I can target one 'Six Samurai' monster I control and have it gain both the tributed monster's effects and attack points until the End Phase! I target Ujisato and tribute Yariza!" Yariza then exploded into yellow particles, which went into Ujisato.

**Legendary Six Samurai – Ujisato ATK: 2500 + 1000 = 3500**

"That's nice and all, but doesn't your monster have requirements to use its effect?" Lord Kazuma inquired.

"Then it's good that I can answer your question." SengokuQueen answered. "Grandmaster of the Six Samurai's effect! Since I control a 'Six Samurai' monster on my field, I can Special Summon him from my hand!" An old samurai with a mechanical eyepatch on his face where his right eye should have been and a scar on the right side of his face also joined the field. He had long, white hair and a long beard to go with it. The robes he wore were an odd mix of silver-grey in the chest area with dark brown at the shoulders. Grandmaster also had mechanical arms with white lines and wrapped yellow rope at the joints. He swung his katana, ready for battle.

**Grandmaster of the Six Samurai ATK: 2100 DEF: 800 LV: 5**

"Ujisato's newest effect! Since I control a 'Six Samurai' monster, he can now attack directly!" SengokuQueen thrusted out her right hand. "Battle! Legendary Six Samurai – Ujisato attacks you directly!"

"OH NO!" Lord Kazuma panicked, as Ujisato prepared to fire his guns. "I'M DONE FOR!" He then realized something. "Oh, wait! I still got tricks up my sleeve! Like Ebon High Magician's effect! By detaching an Overlay Unit from this card, I can activate a Quick-Play Spell or a Trap card from my hand this turn!"

"What?!" SengokuQueen exclaimed, as one of the Overlay Units behind Ebon High Magician went into his scepter.

**Ebon High Magician OU: 2 – 1 – 1**

"I now activate the Trap card, Magic Cylinder from my _hand_!" Lord Kazuma said with glee. "When your monster declares an attack, not only can I negate it, I can also inflict damage equal to your attacking monster's attack points!" As Ujisato fired his guns, two massive red cylinders appeared in front of Lord Kazuma. The bullet fire went into one of the cylinders before refiring them from the other, which were headed straight for SengokuQueen!

"GAAAAAAH!" SengokuQueen screamed, as she was decimated by bullet fire from her own monster. By the time this was finished, she fell on her knees, having lost the duel.

**SengokuQueen: 1700 – 3500 = 0**

"And it looks like the victory goes to me!" Lord Kazuma said, as the crowd cheered for him. He then pressed a button on his duel disk, causing the screen behind him to activate again.

_At the room where Raguel was..._

"Something's happening, Roxy." Raguel said, having realized the screen on the control panel changing. Unfortunately, he soon heard gleeful laughter.

"Hello there, Raguel." Lord Kazuma said. "Just for the record, this is the real me. I want to personally let you know that SengokuQueen has lost her duel against me!"

"You're lying!" Raguel snarled. "There's no way she could have lost to you!"

"Don't believe me? See what happens when someone loses a duel from here on out." Lord Kazuma then stepped aside so Raguel could see SengokuQueen, who had a terrified expression on her face as she looked at her hands. He gasped upon seeing her glow red.

"What did you do?" SengokuQueen demanded from Lord Kazuma, now scared at what's to come. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Do you fear... death?" Lord Kazuma asked, walking to where SengokuQueen was before going around her. "Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare, all your sins punished?" He laughed as he went back to face the screen. "Because that's where you're headed. That's where everyone will go to if they get involved with the Hanoi's greatest performance!"

Soon, SengokuQueen's avatar started breaking apart from her fingers, causing her eyes to widen in shock for a brief moment. However, she quickly regained her resolve and looked at the screen on the other end.

"Listen, Raguel!" SengokuQueen said, her voice starting to break as well. "You have to stop the Hanoi. If you band with the others, you'll have a fighting chance. Bring them to-!" Her avatar then disintegrated completely.

"SengokuQueen!" Raguel shouted, his eyes widened having witnessed what just happened.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess she couldn't finish her sentence." Lord Kazuma stated, laughing to himself.

"Once I find you, expect no mercy from me!" Raguel declared, narrowing his eyes in fury as he looked at the screen. "Because you're finished, Kazuma!"

"Seriously, it's _Lord_ Kazuma. Get it right already." Lord Kazuma responded, rolling his eyes. "But I do look forward to dueling you again." The live footage then cut off afterwards.

"What the Hanoi did to her... was horrible." Herald said, rattled with what he just saw. Suddenly, the entire ground started shaking.

"Yuhiro! I don't know what's going on, but it's something very bad!" Roxy exclaimed. "You have to log out. We can inform Playmaker and Kusanagi of what happened on your end once you come back."

"Okay." Raguel decided. "I'm logging out." Kneeling down to Progleo's level, the cub immediately went into his Duel Disk, having understood the situation. Once that was done, Raguel immediately logged out.

_At Café Matsuo's backroom..._

"Roxy!" Yuhiro said, immediately emerging from the closed-off space.

"Good to see you're still in one piece!" Roxy stated. "Come on." She motioned for him to quickly follow her to the other side of the backroom.

As soon as Yuhiro and Roxy went to the monitors and sat down in their respective chairs, the energy readings started blaring up again.

"Shit!" Roxy cursed. As soon as she finished typing on the keyboard, she covered her mouth.

"The hell is this?!" Yuhiro exclaimed.

The two watched as, in LINK VRAINS, a massive beam of light emerged from the ground. Tendrils of purple energy wrapped themselves around the beam and formed some kind of support structure. Shockwaves radiated out of the tower as a golden ball of energy travelled upwards. Once it hit the top, it exploded outwards.

"What have the Hanoi done?!"

**Card Gallery**

_Link Bypass (Normal Spell card)_

_Effect: Target 1 Link monster your control; this turn, it can attack your opponent directly. You can only use this effect of 'Link Bypass' once per turn._

_Essence of the Six Samurai (Normal Spell card)_

_Effect: Tribute 1 'Six Samurai' monster on your field, then target 1 other 'Six Samurai' monster you control; until the End Phase, that monster gains ATK equal to the tributed monsters ATK, as well as its effects _

_Enduring Draw (Normal Spell card)_

_Effect: Once per duel: You can banish up to three Warrior monsters from your GY; draw cards equal to the number of monsters banished by this effect. During the End Phase of the turn you activate this card: You take 500 points of damage for each Warrior monster on your field._

_Cyreath Dispel (Quick-Play Spell card)_

_Effect: If you control a 'Cyreath' monster: You can target 1 Spell or Trap card your opponent controls; destroy it. _

_Six Strike – Surprise Attack (Quick-Play Spell card)_

_Effect: When a monster your opponent controls attacks a 'Six Samurai' monster you control: Negate the attack and end the Battle Phase, then you can Special Summon up to 2 'Six Samurai' monsters from your Graveyard in defense position. You can only activate 1 'Six Strike – Surprise Attack' per turn._

_B.E.S. Launch (Quick-Play Spell card)_

_Effect: Special Summon 1 'B.E.S.' monster from your deck. Its effects are negated while its on the field._

_Magician's Surprise (Normal Trap card)_

_Effect: When your opponent activates a card effect that targets a DARK Spellcaster monster on your field: You can negate that effect. If this card is in your GY: You can banish this card and 2 Spellcaster monsters from your GY; Special Summon 1 DARK Spellcaster monster from your hand, deck, or GY to your field. You can only use 1 'Magician's Surprise' effect per turn, and only one that turn._

_B.E.S. Gigas (LR: 1/Machine/Earth/ATK: 0/__↙️)_

_Effect: 1 'B.E.S.' monster. When this card is Link Summoned: You can have this card gain ATK equal to the 'B.E.S.' monster used as Link Material. If this card leaves the field: You can target 1 'B.E.S.' monster in your GY; Special Summon it._

_Legendary Six Samurai – Ujisato (LR: 3/Warrior/Fire/ATK: 2500/__↙️__️⬆️↘️)_

_Effect: 2 or more monsters, including a 'Six Samurai' monster. When this card is Link Summoned: You can __place Bushido counters on this card equal to the number of 'Six Samurai' monsters used as Link Material. Once per turn: You can remove as many Bushido counters from this card; destroy cards your opponent controls equal to the number of Bushido counters removed by this effect. _

**QOTC**

_With the Tower having risen, what duels are you looking forward to seeing in the coming chapters?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 29: The Tower Cometh. The Knights of Hanoi have launched their ultimate weapon: The Tower of Hanoi. Raguel, Playmaker, and their allies log into LINK VRAINS to unite and stop the Hanoi's plan. With guidance from Watchman, they split up to reach the Tower and eliminate any remaining members of the Hanoi. As Rosetta makes her way on foot, she's caught off guard by someone she thought was killed a while ago..._

**Author's Notes**

Whew, this was a long chapter! While there's a lot to cover in this chapter, I'll only be covering the main events that occurred.

The two main events that occurred were the duels between Raguel and Gradius, the name of Lord Kazuma's messenger droid, and the duel between SengokuQueen and Lord Kazuma. Both these duels kick off the Tower of Hanoi arc, and I'll talk about each of them separately.

First, there's SengokuQueen vs Lord Kazuma. This duel allowed SengokuQueen to duel against one of the remaining Hanoi members and use her full strength against them. Sadly, due to Lord Kazuma's strategies, she lost in the end. Luckily, this duel will be one of the reasons she upgrades her deck later on in the story. I also wanted to give Lord Kazuma a chance to show off some more tricks from his deck, such as Xyz Summoning. What else do you think he can do, you may wonder? You'll have to read on and find out.

Next, there's the Raguel vs. Gradius duel. In terms of opposing archetype, I chose the B.E.S. archetype because it fits with the grunts and sergeants using Machine monsters. That, and I wanted Herald to go gaga over dueling against a video-game archetype. Please note: This is the only time that Gradius will duel, as due to Progleo practically mauling it at the end, it probably won't be able to utilize its duel function again. If Gradius does return, it will be to serve its primary function, which is deliver messages.

The other event that occurred was the data monster chasing Playmaker. In the anime, some of you might be wondering what a data monster would be doing in the sewers of LINK VRAINS. To answer your question, I decided to have Lord Kazuma capture a Cyberse monster (which is revealed to be Zombie Prosaber) and enslave it to his will, which set off the two duels that occurred. Let me know your thoughts on this.

Lastly, I wanted to make an announcement in terms of the duels that will appear in the upcoming duels. All the duels that occurred in the anime during the Tower of Hanoi arc will happen one way or another. This is because there was not only some great character moments, but there was also character exposition as well. Although I won't tell you who's dueling who, I do encourage you to guess as to what you think will happen.

Thanks for reading Chapter 28 of Obscured Truth. Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. In addition, constructive criticism is always welcome, as it helps make the story even better. If you know of anyone who would be interested in reading the story, don't hesitate in showing them.

What did you enjoy the most about this chapter? The duels? The shocking truth about the data monster? Lord Kazuma's epic performance? Or are you looking forward to what's to come?

Stay tuned for what's to come, as next time, the race against time begins!


	29. Chapter 29: The Tower Cometh

**Responses to Reviews**

Thank you to HunterHQ, Guest, Cosmic Cat, Kingdom Hearts Guy, Pikachu99, Donjusticia, E.T. 2000, Yuman28, Guest, Unnamed, Electriuser, Guest, Portal, ZeroMK7, Romadrox8975, Revolver, and Naruto1999 for reviewing Chapter 28 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everyone! Before I begin, I hope you're safe and healthy wherever you are. I want to thank everyone not only for the positive reviews, but for the positive reaction towards how Lord Kazuma was used in the previous chapter. I would also like to say a personal thank-you to Electriuser for providing the character in the character contest back in Chapter 4. Honestly, this is a character that should have appeared in the anime. If he did, then he would most certainly be a fan-favorite. So thank you, Electriuser. I do hope you enjoy what's to come for Lord Kazuma during the Tower of Hanoi arc!

Oh, and before I answer reviews, I got an announcement. Today is the one-year anniversary of Obscured Truth. I want to thank everyone for following and reviewing the story so far. You guys are awesome!

Anyhow, it's time to answer reviews!

HunterHQ: When making the appearance and personality of Rook, I thought of what a rook typically does during a chess game. I wanted to show that in Rook's first appearance, as well as what his interests are and how he differs from Queen and Bishop. You could say that his interests, if you pay close attention, are tied to the deck he'll use in Season 3. For the data giant, I get what you mean when you say that its appearance didn't look like how it's supposed to appear. What happened was Lord Kazuma enslaved Zombie Prosaber and then buried it in loads of corrupted data to control it.

Guest: Right now, Herald is in the 'mobile game' phase of his interest in video games. So while he'll retain his interest in mobile games, expect him to develop an interest in actual console games as well.

Cosmic Cat: The time has come indeed, for the members of the Hanoi to show why they're the villains they are. With Infearno developing plans for Yuhiro, and Lord Kazuma ready to step up his game, you'll be surprised as to what these two do next for the protagonists.

Kingdom Hearts Guy: It's going to get serious from now on.

Pikachu99: Thank you very much. Lord Kazuma's not done showing off his new tricks, that's for sure. And to answer your question, Raguel at first went after the Hanoi due to his ties with the black market (and of course, to help Miyu). However, after meeting Herald and Progleo, learning about the Lost Incident, and forming alliances with Watchman and Playmaker, it led him to fight the Hanoi and keep those he cares about safe. Also, Herald trusts Yuhiro.

Donjusticia: Just like in the anime, Go and Blue Angel will duel their respective opponents. This way, it saves me time for writing. And I'm glad to see you liked what I did for the data monster. Oh, I'm sorry: How Zombie Prosaber was rescued and joined Playmaker's deck!

E.T. 2000: Glad you enjoyed Rook's first and official appearance in this chapter. Also, the chess pieces will most likely duel starting in Season 3. As to your final question, I can't answer it because of spoilers, but what I can tell you is that anything can happen. I do hope that you've enjoyed seeing Cyreath Caster and Rider so far in the story (with their appearances being from Fate/Stay Night).

Yuman28: Happy that you enjoyed Lord Kazuma's appearance in Chapter 28. You could say that Yuhiro is slowly continuing to hate him, just as much as he is with Infearno (especially now that Infearno knows about Miyu). With there being more heroes than villains, it was only logical to, as Lightning said, "chop the unnecessary weeds." You know, I'm surprised you didn't notice the other movie references in Chapter 28 (one was from a Marvel movie, did you know that?).

Guest: As I've used Piercing, there is a good chance I'll use more Rush-Duel related cards in the future.

Unnamed: You'll have to read on to find out your answer.

Electriuser: I'm happy you enjoyed Lord Kazuma's appearance in the previous chapter. Stay tuned, as he'll have more awesome moments to come!

Guest: Thanks very much for your comment.

Portal: The way Lord Kazuma hunted and enslaved a Cyberse to his will is similar as to how someone would hunt a member of an endangered species. He took his time, found his prey, and eventually subjugated the creature to his will.

ZeroMK7: You never know what Lord Kazuma will unleash next. Still, it's always good to bring out your best weapons against him.

Romadrox8975: Thanks very much.

Revolver: Lord Kazuma's backstory will be revealed in the chapters to come, so stay tuned!

Naruto1999: Yugi would compare Lord Kazuma to Arkana in a heartbeat, that's for sure.

And now it's time for the chapter to cometh!

**Chapter 29: The Tower Cometh**

_At Café Matsuo, in the backroom..._

"What have the Hanoi done?!"

Yuhiro just looked at the monitors, shock overcoming every other emotion.

At the center of LINK VRAINS, a massive purple tower had appeared and connected to the sky. Its base was made of several purple tendrils, and a massive grey ring was forming around a purple sphere. The ring was absorbing the nearby buildings, turning them into data.

Roxy narrowed her eyes, clearly upset with what's going on. "Everything... everything in LINK VRAINS is being turned into data. For... for that thing." Suddenly, she was startled as the monitors started ringing. Upon seeing who was calling, she pressed the green phone button on the screen. "You're seeing this too, right Kusanagi?"

"Yup." Kusanagi answered, as a screen popped up, showing his face. "And it's anything but good."

"We're looking into the data Ghost Girl gave us." Yusaku added, typing on the keyboard at Café Nagi. "Just before..." He paused, unsure of how to continue.

"Just before what exactly?" Yuhiro asked.

"Fujiki. What happened to Ghost Girl?" Roxy further inquired, now worried. Yusaku, seeing that they wanted to know, explained what happened from his perspective in the sewer. How he, following his encounter with the data monster, went down to the reprocessing plant to investigate the anomaly. By the time he made it to the center, there was nothing he could do, as Ghost Girl was already in a duel with Revolver.

"And not only did Revolver defeat Ghost Girl," Ai added, "but he used a new Cyberse monster to do so!"

"Emma..." Roxy muttered, before slamming her fists on the keyboard. "Damn it! The Hanoi's going to pay for this!"

"They will." Yuhiro reassured her. "Just as Lord Kazuma will pay for defeating SengokuQueen, we'll avenge Emma as well."

"Can't believe the Hanoi managed to beat two strong duelists in a single day..." Kusanagi said. "Their sacrifices won't go to waste, we'll make sure of it." Yusaku nodded at Kusanagi's declaration.

"Ai, were you able to retrieve the Cyberse monster from the sewers?" Herald asked, emerging from Yuhiro's Duel Disk. "And what was the Cyberse monster Revolver retrieved from the Data Storm?"

"You mean this card?" Ai responded, retrieving Zombie Prosaber from Yusaku's deck and showing it off. "And as to your other question, he... managed to acquire a second 'Topologic' monster called Topologic Trisbaena."

"Oh you got to be kidding me!" Herald exclaimed. "This is just one mess after another."

"Stay focused on this mess, Herald." Yuhiro told Herald. He then directed his attention at the people in Café Nagi. "Could you send the information that Ghost Girl gave you? If four people and two Ignis's work together, we can figure out just what that thing in LINK VRAINS is, as well as how to stop it." Immediately after Yuhiro's request, the monitor pinged, indicating that an email was received. "Thank you very much!"

"Okay, then." Roxy said, stretching her hands. "Let's help analyze this thing from our end, shall we?"

"Right!" Yuhiro replied, nodding his head. He and Roxy, along with Herald, immediately began aiding Yusaku and Kusanagi in analyzing the structure.

_At the Den City Shelter..._

Quinton was with a group of children watching TV as they saw the tower rise from who-knows-where. _Whatever that thing is_, he thought, _it has to be the Hanoi's doing. Who else would be capable of unleashing a thing like this?_

"You're seeing this, right Quinton?" Miles asked, as he came out of the kitchen with a huge tray of milk and cookies for the kids. He then set them down at the nearby table. "Hey guys, I got cookies and milk! Remember your manners!" And upon seeing the milk and cookies, the children raced like a swarm of flies towards them, as they grabbed a cookie and cup each. Miles immediately sat down beside Quinton as they watched the television screen. "This is the Hanoi's last resort, isn't it?"

"For now, I'm afraid so." Quinton confirmed, narrowing his eyes. "But we should be fortunate, Miles. I know several duelists that will log into the network and make a stand with me."

"Wait. You plan on going?" Miles was about to ask, but then a scream from the television interrupted their conversation. The two of them watched as an avatar tried to log out, only for him to fail before turning red and breaking apart. "That's just dark."

"What happened to that man?" one of the children asked, now scared at what was going to happen. "Is he... Is he-?"

Quinton, seeing that they were afraid, went over to calm them down. "It's going to be okay. We'll hopefully get answers in due time." He turned to Miles. "Uh, a little help?"

"Oh, of course!" Miles got up from where he was sitting and also went over to the children in an attempt to calm them down.

_At the Kinoshita residence..._

"No way..." Tsubaki muttered, shocked at what she was seeing on the TV with her own eyes. Right now, she was in the living room, watching the news when a 'Breaking News' announcement immediately showed the emergence of the tower in LINK VRAINS. "The Hanoi actually did it..."

"Did what, honey?" Hideki asked, bringing a cup of tea to the living room and giving it to her. As soon as he sat down beside her, he knew something was wrong. "Honey?" Tsubaki snapped out of her stupor upon hearing her dad calling out her name. "What's wrong?"

"That's the weapon the Hanoi were working on when I was with them..." Tsubaki answered. The two of them then saw live footage of people trying to run away from the tower. Unfortunately, just like the environment, they turned red and were converted into data.

Hideki grit his teeth. "Those bastards..." He turned to Tsubaki. "To think they'd hurt innocents like this..."

Tsubaki nodded in agreement. She couldn't speak. The fact that she helped a group who would eventually launch a weapon like this shocked her indeed.

"Here." Tsubaki turned her head, only to see Hideki give her a cup of tea. "This should help calm you down."

"Thanks." Tsubaki accepted the cup and took a sip of it, letting the warm water go down her mouth. _Yuhiro's Ignis helped clear my record_, she thought. _But that's not enough. I... I need to make things right, but why do I feel afraid?_

_At an apartment in Den City..._

"We just received a press report from SOL Technologies," a male host said in the newsroom. "As of this moment, LINK VRAINS has been shutdown. However, people are still able to access it. What are your thoughts, Susan?"

"I believe SOL Technologies is hiding something Jeffrey," the blond-curly haired woman named Susan answered her co-host. "If people are able to log in even though SOL Technologies shut down the network, it means they aren't telling us the full truth." She turned to face the screen. "And don't we, the people, deserve the truth?"

"I'm sure Kitamura, the current security manager, is doing his best to remedy the situation." Jeffrey tried to reassure her, but this did not help.

"Honest to God! Akira Zaizen would have actually done something by now if he were in charge! Instead, Kitamura relies on his stupid toys to get the job done. The person who had that brilliant idea to hire Kitamura must have been really stupid!"

"Oh come on, Susan!" The two hosts then started arguing, causing the screen to change to another host temporarily until the issue was resolved.

Rachel, who had been watching the news, scowled. She and Greg watched as that... thing started tearing LINK VRAINS apart. To complicate matters further, all the cameras in LINK VRAINS were destroyed, leaving only the news.

"For once, I'm glad I'm smarter than those idiots." Rachel said, getting up from the bed. "They have no idea what's really going on."

"But that doesn't mean we don't know what's going on either, honey." Greg pointed out. "Remember what I told you about judging others?"

"I know." Rachel remembered, crossing her arms. "Don't be so quick to judge." She looked at the screen. "But still, the Hanoi are responsible for whatever's happening, correct?"

"Obviously." Greg answered, opening his laptop. "No one else but them could make it." But there were still several questions on their minds: What was it? What were the Hanoi's plans? And how could they stop them in time before they were enacted?

_At Café Matsuo, in the backroom..._

"Hey guys! Look what we found!" Roxy said, opening up what looked like online blueprints for the structure.

"Nice find, Roxy!" Kusanagi said on the screen, praising her skill. He and Yusaku looked through the blueprints for several minutes to see if there were any weaknesses. "No weaknesses, unfortunately."

"But it's just a tower." Ai pointed out to Kusanagi. "Isn't there _some_ sort of weakness?"

"Hold on a minute, Ai." Herald said. "Did you just say 'tower'?"

"Uh, yes."

"Hmm... Tower and Hanoi..." Herald pondered both those words for a few moments until he realized something. "Oh my god!"

"What is it, Herald?" Yuhiro asked, turning to Herald.

"Guys! Look up the Tower of Hanoi! NOW!" Herald responded. "If it's what I think it is, then the Knights of Hanoi are clearly insane! And for once Ai, you may be on to something!" The two groups then did a search of the Tower of Hanoi, which according to Google, was a mathematical puzzle that involved moving an entire stack of rings onto a pole. But it was what they found next what shocked them.

"According to this Web Page," Kusanagi said, reading it, "the Tower of Hanoi was based off a myth involving an Indian temple in Kashi Vishwanath, which had three time-worn posts and 64 disks. The Brahmin priests have been moving these disks in accordance with an ancient prophecy."

"And when all the discs are on the last pole, it's game over." Herald finished for Kusanagi. "I can't believe Revolver would try to do something like that just to kill two Ignis's."

"Normally, I try to look at the positive side of things, but this time, I don't think it can get any worse." Roxy commented, crossing her arms. Yuhiro nodded in agreement with her.

"If it really is the Tower of Hanoi, then would those rings substitute for discs?" Yusaku asked, pointing it out. "Maybe that's how it's absorbing data."

"I can confirm your theory, Fujiki." Yuhiro said, typing on the keyboard. "Those rings absorb data by the hour, and they aren't stopping."

"From what I'm seeing, there seems to be six rings connected to the Tower." Roxy added. "If I take your adventures in the underground reprocessing plant into account Fujiki, the central pillar appears to originate from there and go all the way to the LINK VRAINS network."

"Thanks." Yusaku replied. He turned to Kusanagi. "Is there somewhere in the Tower the data is accumulating at?"

"Right now, at the bottom ring." Kusanagi answered, a hand on his chin. "But if we take what Roxy and Furutani said, then the Tower will be complete within six hours."

"And what happens if all the rings are complete?" Ai asked Kusanagi, who frowned before replying.

"Nothing good, Ai. The data in the Tower will be released in a massive surge that would fry all the computers connected to it. Maybe even the power grid if it's that powerful. In other words, anything that's connected to the grid will shut down forever." A look of shock was on everyone's faces, even Yusaku's, upon hearing that answer.

"But Herald and I aren't connected to the Internet." Ai stated. "We're in the safety of our Duel Disks."

"I hate to admit it, but Ai's right on this one." Herald said. "While the network will be shut down, the both of us will be safe."

"You do realize that Revolver will do _anything and everything_, even this, to erase you both, right Herald?" Yusaku reminded him.

"Fair point."

"Uh, guys?" Roxy said, getting everyone's attention. "I just did a further analysis on the Tower, and what I found isn't pretty at all."

"What are you saying?" Yuhiro inquired, now worried at what Roxy will say next.

"I'm saying that the Tower is basically a massive EMP weapon. Whatever data's released will be multiplied and spread out to other electronic devices, also shutting them down." She grit her teeth. "To think that the Hanoi would make humanity go back to the stone age with a weapon like this... pisses me off!"

"So that means Ai and I will lose our last life?!" Herald exclaimed, now clearly scared as he hugged himself. "But I don't want to lose my life..."

"Neither you nor Ai will lose your lives." Yuhiro assured him. "Fujiki and I will prevent the Hanoi from doing so, as well as stopping them from harming any more people!"

Unfortunately, that moment was interrupted, as the monitor received a notification, which indicated that Yuhiro and Roxy were getting a call.

"What the-?" Once Yuhiro read who exactly was calling them, he realized that it was Monty trying to contact them! "Shit! Fujiki, Kusanagi. We'll have to call you back! Apparently, we got another caller!"

"Call us back once you're finished." Yusaku said, hanging up once Yuhiro gave a thumbs up in confirmation.

"You hide here, Herald." Roxy told the Ignis, grabbing Yuhiro's Duel Disk and putting it underneath the table. "And stay quiet!" Herald, who understood the situation, immediately nodded, and went into the Duel Disk.

Once Roxy pressed the green phone button, the screen then showed Monty, who was not only bruised up, but also had a black eye, as evident by him putting an icepack on his right eye. In addition, there were a few short but precise cuts on his face.

"Good lord, Monty!" Yuhiro exclaimed, surprised at what he and Roxy were seeing. "What the hell happened to you? We haven't heard from you in a while, and now you call at the worse possible time!"

"I'm quite... aware of that, Raguel." Monty responded, groaning as he applied pressure on his black eye. "Following the gala in Osaka, I unfortunately got involved in a black market scuffle with the other leaders on the black market. Lots of people died, and I was lucky to get out of there alive."

"You can say that again." Roxy said, looking at the screen. "You sure you're going to be okay, Monty?"

"I believe so." Monty answered, sighing. "But enough about me. Let's get down to business. I'm assuming that you already know what's going down in LINK VRAINS?"

"If you mean the Tower of Hanoi, then yes." Yuhiro replied.

"Are you also aware that if the Tower of Hanoi isn't shut down in six hours, the whole network will collapse?"

"I am."

Monty sighed for a second time before continuing. "You remember the last time we spoke?"

"Yes. Three times, actually." Yuhiro recalled. "One: You called to give me the Retrieval Assignment regarding Playmaker's Ai. Two: You wanted me to retrieve the files from Dancho a few days later. Three: Before you attended the gala, you made sure to send an email regarding a Cyberse user and their Cyberse cards."

"I'm giving you a new assignment," Monty said. "Operation: _Decimation_. Shut down the Tower, and destroy it completely if needed. Defeat the remaining Knights of Hanoi as well. I will pay you four times your usual amount."

Yuhiro nodded his head. "Don't worry, Monty. I'll get the job done. But I need to know: Is there a catch to this job?"

"Not for this one, no." Monty shook his head. "But there is one for the Retrieval assignment on Playmaker's AI."

"And what exactly would that be?" Roxy interrupted. "Because lately, we've been very busy, what with the Another incident and Ace being buddy-buddy with the Hanoi-! "

"Did you say Ace is with the Hanoi?!" Monty immediately asked, causing Roxy to nod her head in confirmation. "Hold on." He then sent a file to Yuhiro and Roxy. "To think that a black market boss would join with the Hanoi... GODDAMN IT! Raguel, be _very_ careful around this guy. He's been a thorn in my side for several years. If you encounter him, beware. He gives me the heebie-jeebies, and not in a good way at all!"

"This helps a lot. And thanks, Monty." Yuhiro said, looking briefly at the files contents. "If I may ask, what exactly is the catch for Playmaker's AI?"

Upon hearing the question, Monty immediately steadied his breath before speaking. "A couple of weeks after the Osaka incident, my client, who seeks Playmaker's AI for who-knows-why, tracked me down and cornered me in an alleyway." He pointed at the precise cuts on his face. "After I told him I didn't have it with me, he unsheathed his katana and slashed me several times in the face as punishment. He said that if I didn't bring him Playmaker's AI soon, he'd have both my head and yours!"

"Okay, that's not good at all..." Yuhiro said, now concerned with what he just heard. From what Monty told them just now, the person who spoke to Monty about Playmaker's AI punished him for the delay. What's worse, they threatened him directly and Yuhiro indirectly with death if they failed again. But who would want an Ignis? Yuhiro's first suspect was SOL Technologies, but if that were the case, they would have sent an agent to do their dirty work. He ultimately decided to put the issue aside for now, as there were more pressing matters.

"I'm sorry to have scared you," Monty apologized, "but I wanted to give you a heads-up because of how urgent the matter is now. My client is merciful, however, and is willing to pay you extra if you capture the AI and send it to me, where I can then bring to him."

"And how much is this client talking?" Yuhiro raised an eyebrow, now curious.

"Eight times the usual amount."

While Roxy's mouth dropped at the announcement, Yuhiro whistled, having been caught off guard. He thought it over for a brief moment before responding. "Like I said, Monty. You won't have to worry. I'll destroy the Tower of Hanoi, finish the Knights of Hanoi off, and retrieve that AI. After all, I have a good feeling that Playmaker will show up with it, as he intends to face the Hanoi."

"Splendid. I knew I could count on you." Monty said, wiping the sweat off his face. "Let me know how it goes once it's done." He then hung up after that.

"I hate it when I have to lie." Yuhiro said, turning to Roxy. "It doesn't sound right at all, nor is good."

"Ditto." Roxy said back, as she went underneath the table and grabbing Yuhiro's Duel Disk before giving it to him. "And just so we're clear, after this..."

"Don't worry, I already know what you're going to say." Yuhiro immediately stated. "We'll end our working relationship with Monty and the black market once the Tower is toppled."

"It's safe to come out now, right?" Herald asked, interrupting them.

"Of course it is, Herald." Yuhiro responded, giving the Ignis the okay before he emerged out of the Duel Disk. Once that was done, Yuhiro then pressed the FaceTime icon on the monitor before calling back Kusanagi and Yusaku, who immediately accepted the call.

"You guys didn't take so long at all." Kusanagi stated, as he and Yusaku came on-screen.

"Did we miss any new information while we were away?" Yuhiro asked, curious.

"While you were away, Kitamura logged into LINK VRAINS and spoke with Revolver, where things eventually went downhill for him." Yusaku answered.

"WHAT?!" Roxy exclaimed, shocked at what she just heard. "I missed Kitamura getting his ass handed to him?! Please send me the recording! I must see it with my own eyes!" Yuhiro, meanwhile, looked at her with a look of concern and worry.

"Do what she says, Yusaku!" Ai begged him. "That lady scares me!"

"I heard that, Ai!" Roxy immediately replied, scaring the poor Ignis even more. Soon, a notification appeared on the monitor, indicating that Yusaku sent the recording. "Now to watch the fireworks happen..." Roxy pressed the 'Play' button on the recording, a mischievous smile on her face.

Once the recording loaded, it showed Kitamura entering into LINK VRAINS, demanding to speak with Revolver. As soon as Revolver arrived and demanded an explanation from him (under threat of erasure of course), Kitamura immediately got to the point, where he proposed to preside over LINK VRAINS together. He even laid out some good points – stating that he, as security chief, can tell the staff not to work and let the Hanoi win in the end.

"I see." Revolver finally said, smiling. "Your proposal is good, but we'll need to see a demonstration of your abilities first." He walked away from Kitamura and into a portal. "Let's see how you can handle _him_."

"Wait? Where are you going?" Kitamura asked in panic.

"Hello there," a new voice said, as its owner appeared behind Kitamura from a portal, revealing himself to be Specter.

"Uh, who are you?" Kitamura said, turning to face Specter.

"I am Specter." Specter introduced himself. "And I'll be testing your abilities in a Master Duel."

"A... A Master Duel?" Kitamura repeated. Unfortunately, the recording started fizzling around that part.

"Oh come on!" Roxy complained. "I wanted to see Kitamura getting his ass handed to him!"

"Um, I think the recording is picking up again." Yuhiro pointed out, much to Roxy's relief. The recording then showed Specter engaged in a duel with Kitamura, with the former having Sunvine Thrasher on his field, while the latter had nothing at all.

"Battle!" Specter declared. "Sunvine Thrasher attacks you directly!" Thrasher charged forward and sliced upward at Kitamura, causing his life points to drop to zero.

Yuhiro narrowed his eyes. Kitamura lost _that_ quickly? Something told him that Specter shouldn't be underestimated, especially if he was one of the remaining Knights of Hanoi.

Specter then walked forward to Kitamura, stating that he failed the test. Soon after, he snapped his fingers, causing the security chief of SOL Technologies to turn red before breaking apart into data.

"Damn," Roxy muttered. "I know he deserved that, but damn." She then focused her attention on the screen. "Thank you, Fujiki. For sending the recording. Here's something for the both of you in return." She typed on the keyboard for a minute before sending the information on Ace to them.

"When did you get this?" Kusanagi asked, looking over the information with Yusaku, who narrowed his eyes as he read it.

"Just recently." Yuhiro answered him. "Our boss Monty called us and sent it over after we told him about Ace's involvement with the Hanoi."

"You're still not going to hunt me down, are you?" Ai begged. Herald then turned to Yuhiro, a look of curiosity on his face.

"Ai, I told Fujiki a while ago that I'd cease my assignment on you, remember?" Yuhiro reminded Ai, causing the Ignis to breath in relief. "I'm not that kind of person anymore."

"The fact that you have honor, a goal, and ethics makes me proud to have you as both an Origin and a Partner." Herald stated, pleased with Yuhiro.

"Uh, thanks."

"Hey, guys." Roxy interrupted. "The recording picked up something else. I'm decoding it now!" After she spent a minute typing on the keyboard, the recording resumed playing.

"This is a message not just to Playmaker and Raguel, but to _everyone_." Specter said on the recording. "The Knights of Hanoi have control over LINK VRAINS now. If you log into the network, you'll suffer the same fate as Kitamura, the security chief who failed you. No Entry." The recording then closed out.

Yuhiro scowled at the screen.

"He's challenging us, Fujiki." Yuhiro realized.

"Not just us, but anyone bold enough to log into the network." Yusaku clarified. He turned to Kusanagi. "Kusanagi, is my duel board ready?"

"Uh, I don't think you'll have a chance to use it buddy." Kusanagi responded. "Most of the data will be around the Tower, so the both of you will have to make it on foot."

Yusaku nodded at Kusanagi before turning at the screen at Café Nagi. "Furutani, I'll meet you in the network." He then hung up afterwards.

Yuhiro, after a moment, stood up and put his Duel Disk on his left arm.

"You're logging into LINK VRAINS, aren't you?" Roxy deduced, her eyes wide.

"Yes." Yuhiro answered. "For three reasons." He held up a finger. "One: I can't let people like the Knights of Hanoi hurt innocent people. It goes against my nature not only as a duelist, but as a person that aims to protect those they care about." He held up a second finger. "Two: Over my interactions with Herald and Progleo, learning about the Lost Incident, and forming alliances with Watchman and Playmaker, I've realized there's more at stake than I realize. I'm not only just fighting for this world, I'm fighting for another one as well." He held up a third finger. "Three: I made a promise to Miyu that I would fight until she and Roxy are reunited, and are able to be with each other once again."

"That was... beautiful, man. Bravo!" Herald said, clapping his hands.

Roxy couldn't help but smile in gratitude upon hearing Yuhiro's declarations. This boy in front of her was willing to risk it all to fight for what was right, and she couldn't be any prouder of him.

_At the Den City Shelter..._

"I'm glad to hear you're logging in, Go." Quinton said on the phone. He was currently in the kitchen, while Miles looked after the kids.

"The people of Den City need to know that I won't let anything hurt them." Go stated on the other end.

"There's more to it, isn't there Go?" Quinton asked. "You want the winning glory again, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Go admitted, although a bit louder than intended. "Sorry. I... I've been dealing with a lot lately. I am glad, though, that I have a friend who's going in with me."

"Vice versa." Quinton replied, a smile on his face. "We'll talk about it more once we log in, okay?"

"Alright." Go then hung up on his end. Afterwards, Quinton then walked out of the kitchen and into the room where Miles and the kids were.

"Miles, you got a sec?" Quinton asked, causing Miles to turn his attention to him at the mention of his name.

"Yeah sure." Miles stood up. "I'll be right back everyone. Behave yourselves." He then followed Quinton into the kitchen and closed the door behind him. "Everything alright?"

"Miles, there's something I need to tell you, and you'll probably freak out." Quinton began, a grim look on his face. "I'm logging into LINK VRAINS and aiding Go in defeating the Knights of Hanoi."

A look of shock was on Miles' face before it turned to determination. "Then let me come with you! I have a deck, and I've practiced for weeks now!"

"No." Quinton decided, putting a hand on Miles' shoulder. "These Knights of Hanoi are far different from the grunts and sergeants. They're more skilled, and if something happened to you, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on the kids while I'm away. You're the only one with my skills to take care of them, and at a young age to. Can I count on you?"

Miles nodded his head, having understood what was going to happen. "Alright. I'll do my best."

"Thanks." Quinton was about to leave the kitchen when Miles spoke up.

"Quinton," he said. "Good luck out there."

Quinton smiled back at Miles, before opening the kitchen door and going upstairs.

_At the Kinoshita residence..._

Tsubaki stood up from the couch, having made her decision. Although a part of her was afraid of what's to come, she couldn't make things right if she did nothing.

"What is it, honey?" Hideki asked her.

"I'm going into LINK VRAINS dad." Tsubaki stated.

"You do know what will happen if you lose while in LINK VRAINS, right?" Hideki tried to remind her as he stood up.

"And are you aware of what will happen if I do nothing?" Tsubaki countered back. "The entire network will be destroyed, and thousands of people could potentially die! I can't just sit back and let the professionals do this!" She then pointed to her head. "I worked with the Knights of Hanoi, and I have information that I can provide in toppling the Tower for good! So please dad. Let me do this."

To Tsubaki's surprise, Hideki smiled. "Your persistent and strong-willed attitude reminds me of your mother, you know that?"

"Uh...?"

"Follow me upstairs." Hideki then told Tsubaki, who immediately followed him to his room. "I had initially planned on giving these to you in Iceland once I finished them all, but given the circumstances, I guess now's a better time than any." He went over to a desk with several drawers in it and pulled the top one out, revealing several cards before scooping them out and giving them to Tsubaki. "These cards will not only reinforce your current strategy, but also let you experiment with new ones as well. Oh, and one more thing." He went further into the drawer and pulled out a small box that could hold a card. "Since everyone has a Link Monster these days, I thought I'd make one for you in the hopes it could aid you in your duels."

Tsubaki looked over all the cards her dad gave her, her attention fixated on the Link Monster she got. _Crossrose Dragon_, she thought, looking over the card's effects. "These cards are perfect, dad. I promise to use them and kick the Hanoi's ass!"

"That's my girl." Hideki said, pulling his daughter in for a hug.

_At an apartment in Den City..._

Rachel walked over to the desk and picked up her Duel Disk from the table.

Greg, upon seeing this, turned to her with wide eyes. "What are you doing? You're not actually planning on going into LINK VRAINS?"

"Yes I am." Rachel answered, her mind made up. "And from past experience, I don't think you can stop me."

"That we can agree on."

"Also, even if I don't go, Watchman will want me to aid in whatever way I can." Rachel added, looking at Greg in the eyes. "Besides. If that device succeeds in whatever it's doing, both adults and _children_ will suffer the consequences!" As Greg looked back at Rachel, he recognized the look she gave him. It was almost like the one she gave him six years ago, when she wanted to help him with his job. For one purpose: To prevent others like her from experiencing the same pain she did under that _wretched woman_.

He then sighed in defeat, knowing it was pointless to continue arguing. "Alright. I'll let you go, but before you do, I want to give something." He grabbed his own Duel Disk from the table and pushed some buttons. Rachel looked at her Duel Disk and her eyes widened.

"What's this?" Rachel asked.

"Some extra cards to help you," Greg explained. "I had a feeling the Hanoi looked at your duels during the Another incident and figured out your strategies, especially with Final Sigma being your trump card. That's why I'm providing you with some additional cards for support. Hope it helps."

Rachel smiled. "Thanks, Greg. I promise you: I will come back!"

_At Café Matsuo, in the backroom..._

Yuhiro walked to the closed-off space, ready to enter it. But before he did, Roxy got his attention.

"Bring everyone back, Yuhiro!" Roxy told him. "And by everyone, I mean everyone!"

Yuhiro turned his head and smiled. "Don't worry. I will. And once Emma returns to the land of the living, you can yell at her in person for losing against Revolver."

Roxy laughed at that. "Kick Infearno's ass for me as well. Make sure you do it so hard he thinks twice before threatening Miyu's life!"

"Don't worry, Roxy. I will." Yuhiro then went into the closed-off space and closed the door behind him. He then took out his deck and inserted it into his Duel Disk. "Deck Set!"

Quinton, Rachel, Tsubaki, and Yuhiro all shouted, "Into the VRAINS!"

_In LINK VRAINS..._

"The Tower's up ahead..." Playmaker muttered, as he looked at it from where he was. Given the fact that he had six hours to shut it down, it was his priority to get there before it was too late. But before he could make a move on, he noticed Raguel land a few inches away from him.

"Hey there, Playmaker!" Raguel said, greeting him.

"Glad to see you came." Playmaker replied, turning to face him.

"Playmaker!" The two of them turned to the left.

"Go Onizuka!" Playmaker said, recognizing Go's voice.

"And Stregone!" Raguel added, as the two men ran to where the others were.

"Um, guys? Over here!" Ai said, pointing to the right. They turned as Blue Angel walked to where they were.

"So the four of you came too," Blue Angel deduced.

"Not just them, Blue Angel."

The four turned as Rosetta came, walking up from behind Playmaker.

"You're not forgetting about me, are you?" Numera said, as Final Sigma landed on the ground where they were, carrying her. Except for Raguel and Playmaker, everyone was surprised by Final Sigma's appearance as Numera hopped to the ground, the massive robot turning into particles in the process.

"N-Not that again..." Go muttered, facepalming himself in annoyance while Stregone laughed at his misery.

"Why are you here?" Playmaker asked them.

"That's what I was going to say," Go said. "Last time I checked Blue Angel, you didn't join our alliance during the 'Another' incident. Instead, you simply turned around and left."

"That's enough, Go." Stregone warned him.

"It's okay, Stregone." Blue Angel told him, before turning to Go. "When the mastermind behind the 'Another' incident appeared, at first, I logged into LINK VRAINS for revenge. But following that duel, I learned my reason for dueling. It's for the sake of others; to keep them safe from what's to come. So be assured, Go. I'll fight to protect everyone from now on!"

"Glad to hear that, Blue Angel." Go said, pleased with the statement. "Believe it or not, I'm here for the same thing. After all, its my duty as the hero of LINK VRAINS to keep people safe!"

"Always full of energy." Ai commented.

Go looked at Ai. "So you're the Ignis everyone wants these days."

"And this Ignis has a name, you know! Ai! Call me Master Ai from now on! Actually, Emperor Ai! Or Sensei Ai! Or-!"

"How about Aiball?" Herald interrupted, emerging from Raguel's Duel Disk before punching Ai in the shoulder to shut him up.

"You have an Ignis too, Raguel?" Go asked, shocked at what he was seeing.

"You're all here. Good," the voice of Watchman suddenly interrupted, as its owner emerged from a gateway in front of them. "There might be hope yet."

"So you're here, Watchman." Raguel said, looking at him.

"Yes. I have come to aid in putting an end to the Knights of Hanoi." Watchman explained.

"Playmaker, what about you?" Blue Angel asked, getting his attention. "Why are you here?"

"For three reasons." Playmaker answered. "One: I'm here to stop the Tower of Hanoi from destroying the network. Two: I must end things with the person responsible for the Lost Incident. Three: I must rescue Ghost Girl, as she gave me the information on the Tower of Hanoi."

Blue Angel's eyes widened. "Did something happen to her?"

"Yes. Revolver defeated her in a duel, which resulted in her being turned into data for the Tower to absorb."

"Not just her, but Lord Kazuma defeated SengokuQueen in a duel as well." Raguel added, getting Rosetta's attention.

"No way." Blue Angel said in shock, while Rosetta looked down at the ground, unable to reply.

"What info did Ghost Girl give to you, Playmaker?" Go asked him.

"Perhaps I could clarify for you, Go Onizuka." Watchman answered, as the Spatial Cube emerged from his Duel Disk. It then molded into an exact replica of the Tower of Hanoi. "Revolver and Infearno, along with the remaining Knights of Hanoi plan to use this Tower to destroy the entire network."

"Say what now?!" Go exclaimed.

"That's impossible." Blue Angel stated, trying to deny it.

"No. It's not." Rosetta rebutted, causing everyone to turn to her. "When I worked with the Knights of Hanoi, I aided in providing material for it. Not only did I acquire Cyberse cards for it, I also brought supplies to a man named Infearno, who's responsible for the Tower's overall construction."

"Then why are you helping us now?" Go growled at her. "For all we know, you could be a double-agent!"

"I logged in of my own free will to make up for all that I done." Rosetta answered, facing Go. "In the network, I was known as 'The Graceful Assassin', a ruthless killer. But all that changed when Raguel and his Ignis helped me move on from that life. I'm here to make amends, starting now!"

"What Rosetta speaks of is only truth, Go Onizuka." Watchman told him, calming him down. "As Rosetta said, it's not impossible. Once the Tower of Hanoi is complete, all information in the network will be destroyed."

"But if that happens," Blue Angel said, "won't the consciousness data of Ghost Girl be erased as well?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Playmaker answered her. "That's why I must stop it before it activates."

"And I don't want to be erased either," Ai pointed out, earning him another punch on the shoulder from Herald. "Oh, come on!"

"No one wants to be erased, Ai." Herald stated. "So put those big boy pants of yours on and get ready for the battles to come!"

"Is there a way to stop it, sir?" Go asked Watchman.

"We can stop it by defeating Revolver and Infearno." Watchman replied. "But beware. You'll only have six hours to stop them, or the Tower will be completed."

"Six hours!" Blue Angel, Stregone, Numera, Rosetta, and Go all said at the same time.

Playmaker looked at the Tower. "Revolver is undoubtedly at the top. I'll go there and finish things with him before the clock runs out."

"Not just him," Raguel said. "Infearno is also there, and I have some unfinished business with him!" Stregone looked at Raguel with a look of worry upon hearing that.

Go raised a fist. "Then I'm going!"

"Me too!" Blue Angel said.

"The Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS isn't running from this fight!" Stregone said.

"I'll help in anyway I can!" Rosetta said.

"Don't forget me!" Numera said.

"I'm sorry everyone, but no." Playmaker answered, much to everyone's disappointment, except for Raguel's. "It's too dangerous."

"How disappointing, Playmaker." Numera rebuked him, as she walked up to where he was. "Why don't you want our help? Is it because you're too confident in your abilities? Could it be that you care about the safety of others behind that cold expression on your face? Or could it be... something else?"

"You don't understand, Numera." Playmaker said. "And there's no time to explain it to a child like you." The next thing Playmaker knew, Numera punched him in the gut, surprising everyone as he took a knee.

"I may not understand what you went through," Numera said, "but I went through a different hell than you did. Yet I'm still here. Want to know why?" She grabbed Playmaker's hair, forcing him to look at her in the eyes. "It's because I don't want something similar or worse to happen to others!"

"Numera, stand down!" Watchman ordered, causing Numera to step away from Playmaker as he stood up again. "Playmaker, even though everyone's reasons for logging in are different, they do have one thing in common: To end the Knights of Hanoi." The Spatial Cube then transformed into a map of LINK VRAINS. "Gather around, everyone." Soon, everyone went around the map generated by the Spatial Cube.

"This is what I suggest. We split up and scour LINK VRAINS for Revolver and Infearno. From there, we defeat them and the remaining Knights of Hanoi in duels."

"Watchman makes a valid point." Raguel stated. "With the eight of us, we'll be able to find Revolver and Infearno!"

"Seven, actually." Watchman clarified, turning to Raguel. "While all of you find Revolver and Infearno, I will find the head of the serpent and stop him before it's too late."

"Head of the serpent?" Stregone repeated. "So you're saying Revolver's some sort of figurehead?"

"Something like that." Watchman answered, as a portal appeared behind him. "Good luck. All of you." He then stepped into it as it closed behind him.

Playmaker sighed before breaking the silence and turning to face the others. "Do what you want," he finally said. "But be careful. Just before Ghost Girl turned into data, she warned me of a powerful card Revolver has. One that, if not paid attention to, can turn the tide of the duel around."

"Watch out for Infearno as well." Raguel added. "The last time I faced him, he got stronger, even after using nearly everything I had. So make sure you stay on your guard."

Everyone nodded in response.

"Good luck, everyone." Go said.

"See ya!" Ai said.

Blue Angel, Go, Playmaker, Raguel, Numera, Rosetta, and Stregone all turned and headed down different roads. While Stregone followed Go, who followed Raguel and Playmaker, Numera went and turned left. Meanwhile, Blue Angel and Rosetta turned right.

Elsewhere, on top of a building overseeing everything going on was a mysterious young man wearing an azure overcoat over a jet-black suit. Black X's with blue lines running in them were at the sleeves of the man's overcoat, as well as below the knee portion of the jet-black suit. Covering his eyes was an azure-colored mask, with a bladed curve underneath the left eye. The young man felt the wind touch his attire and his white, swept back hair as he maintained a fierce, yet stoic expression on his face.

"So, the game of destiny has begun," the azure-overcoated man said. "Even though the outcome is already decided, everyone is still wasting their efforts. Regardless, these coming battles will interesting to watch, as it will help us gauge who's our enemy and who's our ally." He then leapt from the building onto another, and continued doing so for a few seconds before stopping at a building, where he saw Blue Angel and Rosetta reach a crossroad.

"We should split up here." Blue Angel said. "I'll keep going straight, while you turn left."

"Right." Rosetta agreed. Blue Angel was about to keep running when Rosetta spoke up. "Uh, Blue Angel?"

"Yeah?" Blue Angel turned around to face her.

"I wanted to thank you. For helping me."

"What do you mean?"

"My dad told me of what you did." Rosetta explained. "He said that you knew Raguel in real life, which led to the chain of events that ultimately helped me instead of hurting me further." She scratched the back of her head. "What I'm trying to say is, thank you. For the part you played in bringing my dad and I back together."

Blue Angel didn't know what to say for several seconds. Eventually, she said with a smile, "After what I went through, being used as the Hanoi's guinea pig, I didn't want anyone else to be used by the Hanoi. I'm just glad that I was able to make a difference." The two girls then chuckled.

"Say, Blue Angel? When this is over, do you want to be friends?" Rosetta asked.

"Of course! I'd love to be friends with you!" Blue Angel replied. She then turned her head to the Tower. "Guess I'll see you on the other side."

"You as well." Blue Angel then ran straight, while Rosetta turned left and continued to keep running.

_Reidrith, Jeanne Azaria_, Rosetta thought. _I will get your Cyberse cards back from the Tower. And I promise. I'll make amends for what I've done._ Unbeknownst to her, the azure-overcoated man followed her by leaping from building to building.

"Come on legs, run faster..." Rosetta muttered to herself. Suddenly, a gust of wind burst from behind her, giving her a scare as she stopped running. The azure-overcoated man following her also stopped at a nearby building, overlooking the scenario that was about to happen.

"Whoever's out there, show yourself!"

"Making demands now?" a familiar voice said. "My, my. Now that's a first."

Rosetta gasped as a cloaked person rounded a corner and came into view. She immediately widened her eyes upon looking at his face. "Ace? Is that you?"

As though in confirmation, Ace grabbed the edge of his cloak and threw it off him, letting the wind carry it away. "It is, Rosetta! And let me tell you! I'm happy to see you of all people!" He then started laughing.

"How?" Rosetta demanded, her eyes wide. "I saw you fall several feet from the Hanoi Stronghold!"

"And I would have died if it weren't for the program I had." Ace pointed out. "But back to the main point. I'm glad you're alive. Come with me while there's still time. I got more than enough for us to survive and rebuild once the network gets destroyed."

"NO!" Rosetta answered, surprising Ace for a brief moment. "I'm not going with you! In fact, I'm never working, obeying, or staying with you ever again!"

"You must be in shock, and I understand that." Ace said, trying to placate Rosetta. "After being in a hospital room for a while does that to you. May I remind you that you were abandoned by your family, who was supposed to be there for you following your mother's death from cancer. You had no one to turn to, and when you were ready to give it all up, _I_ saved you. Me, Ace! Now let's go before-!"

"I SAID NO!" Rosetta answered once again, much to the shock of Ace. "If it weren't for the attack on the Hanoi Stronghold, I never would have been able to reconcile with my father. I never would have been able to realize my family still loved me, and I most certainly would have never been able to find peace in myself once again. All that you gave me was a sham. Just an imitation for your own gain!"

"YOU DARE DEFY ME?!" Ace exclaimed, before suddenly laughing. "Ah. I realize now. It was Raguel. He seized the opportunity and changed your way of thinking, didn't he?" Rosetta's eyes widened. "As I told you before, you don't have to be a genius to figure it out. Maybe I should pay him a visit..." But before he could move a muscle, Rosetta activated her Duel Disk, getting his attention.

"Sorry, Ace." Rosetta said. "But I'm not letting you get to him. Besides. I intend to finish things with you. Our working relationship is over!"

Ace smirked as he activated his own Duel Disk. "If that's your decision, then how could I say no to a feisty girl like you?" Rosetta gritted her teeth in anger.

"I'll have you know I made some upgrades since we last dueled." Rosetta warned him.

"Then let's see how much you grown..." Ace taunted.

_So this girl Rosetta is about to duel Ace, a black market boss_, the azure-overcoated man thought to himself, watching their confrontation on top of a nearby building. _While I only saw his Speed Duel against Playmaker, I am curious as to how he'll do in a Master Duel. Whatever the case, the first battle has begun._

"Duel!" they shouted at the same time.

**Rosetta: 4000 LP**

**Ace: 4000 LP**

"If you don't mind, I'll go first." Rosetta said.

"That's fine by me." Ace complied. "After all, I _am_ a gentleman."

Rosetta gritted her teeth again, only in annoyance as she looked at her hand. Upon doing so, her eyes widened. _Yes_, she thought. She drew the card that can cripple Ace's entire deck on the very first turn! With this and her new cards, she can defeat him quickly. "I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Prohibition! I can declare one card name, and while this card is on the field, any card that has that name and its effects cannot be used! I declare Evil Eye of Selene!"

"What?!" Ace exclaimed, having been caught off guard by her opening move. "Damn you..."

"I summon Twilight Rose Knight from my hand!" Rosetta continued. A female knight with short blue hair and yellow eyes, a long white cape, and wearing dark, rosy armor on the upper portion of her body appeared on Rosetta's field. On her head was a large, dark rosy tiara. In her left hand, she carried a sword.

**Twilight Rose Knight ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"Twilight Rose Knight's effect! When she's Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Plant monster from my hand! Come, Botanical Girl!" A teenage girl wearing plant-like clothing all over her body appeared on Rosetta's field. Her hair consisted of large rose petals at the front, while at the back, there was a large bulb.

**Botanical Girl ATK: 1300 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"I now tune the Level 3 Twilight Rose Knight with the Level 3 Botanical Girl!" A bolt of green lightning struck Rosetta as the world greyed out, causing her two monsters to disappear. Two rings, one black and one pink, appeared before turning blue and merging. Six blue rings stacked in a tower then appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to a "6" as light surged through the rings.

"Queen of the hidden castle, let the forces of mother nature course through you!" Rosetta chanted. "Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 6! Queen of Thorns!" A woman in a green and red dress covered in leaves and vines appeared on Rosetta's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Queen of Thorns ATK: 2200 DEF: 1800 LV: 6**

"As long as Queen of Thorns is on the field, we must pay 1000 life points to Normal or Special Summon a monster from our hands, except if it's a Plant monster." Rosetta explained. "In addition, I'll activate Botanical Girl's effect! Since she was sent to the Graveyard, I get to add a Plant monster with 1000 or less defense points from my deck to my hand." A card then popped out of Rosetta's deck, which she took and added to her hand.

Rosetta took two cards from her hand and Set them face-down on her field. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn. Now let's see how you'll get through this."

"My turn! I draw!" Ace said, drawing the top card of his deck before looking at what he drew. _Rosetta's been in my company for so long that she knows the ins and outs of my deck_, he thought. _I didn't anticipate her trying to lock me down on the first turn, but oh well. It'll make it more fun for me once I break her!_ "I activate the Spell card, Evil Eye Reemergence! This card lets me Special Summon one 'Familiar of the Evil Eye' token to my field. Now emerge!" A yellow eyeball in a lens floated onto Ace's field.

**Familiar of the Evil Eye Token ATK: 400 DEF: 400 LV: 1**

"Appear! The circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" A Link Portal soon appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are one 'Evil Eye' monster! I'll set the Familiar of the Evil Eye token into the Link Markers!" The Familiar of the Evil Eye token turned into a red tornado of energy that went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Beltran, Familiar of the Evil Eye!" A violet-colored raven flew onto Ace's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. On Beltran's head was a small, red eye.

**Beltran, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 100 LINK-1 **⬇️

"When Beltran is successfully Link Summoned, I'm allowed to add an 'Evil Eye' card from my deck to my hand." A card popped out of Ace's deck, which he added to his hand. "I now activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Glare of the Evil Eye!" The card showed a red eyeball with a yellow pupil glaring intensely at Serziel, as he bravely approached it, holding the Evil Eye of Selene in his right hand. "This card lets me target one card you control and negate its effects until the End Phase. I target Queen of Thorns!" A red blast of light fired out of the card and hit Queen of Thorns, temporarily draining her of her strength.

"Queen of Thorns!" Rosetta exclaimed. _He could have used Glare of the Evil Eye to negate Prohibition_, she thought. _But if I know him, he only did it to prolong the duel for his enjoyment._

"Since your Synchro monster's effects are negated, I'm now free to summon my monsters!" Ace stated. "Like this one! I summon Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye from my hand!" A purple-haired girl wearing black and green clothing appeared on Ace's field. Her left eye was red, while her right eye was milky-pearl.

**Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye ATK: 1400 DEF: 1600 LV: 4**

"Medusa's effect! When it's Normal Summoned, I get to add an 'Evil Eye' card from my Graveyard to my hand. I return Glare of the Evil Eye from my hand!" A card briefly popped out of Ace's Graveyard before he added it to his hand. "Next, I activate the effect of Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye! As I control an 'Evil Eye' monster, I'm allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand to my field!" A blue and black serpent with a big red eye on its head also appeared on Ace's field and hissed at Playmaker.

**Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 400 DEF: 2000 LV: 3**

"Basilius's effect!" Ace continued. "Once per turn, I'm allowed to send an 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my Graveyard. I think I'll send Evil Eye of Gorgoneio from my deck to my Graveyard." A second card popped out of Ace's deck, only he sent it to the Graveyard.

"Appear, once again! The circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" A second Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two monsters, one of which must be an 'Evil Eye' monster! I'll set Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye, and Beltran, Familiar of the Evil Eye, which is a Link 1 monster, into the Link Markers!" Beltran went into the top arrowhead, while Medusa went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed!" A white-haired woman wearing a black and purple dress covered by white and red armor emerged from the Link Portal and landed on Ace's field in the right Extra Monster zone. Covering her left eye was a white mechanical device with a red lens.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 1900 LINK-2** ⬆️⬇️

"I'm sure you're familiar with Gorgon's effect, yes?" Ace asked Rosetta.

"Gorgon gains 100 attack points for every 'Evil Eye' card in the Graveyard with a different name." Rosetta recalled.

"It's good to see you remember my monster's abilities." Ace replied. "And since there's four 'Evil Eye' cards with different names, Gorgon gains 400 attack points." A red aura enveloped Gorgon as she powered up.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 1900 + 400 = 2300**

"Appear, for a third time! The circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" A third Link Portal appeared above Ace. "The summoning conditions are one 'Evil Eye' monster! I'll set Basilius, Familiar of the Evil Eye into the Link Markers!" Basilius went into the top arrowhead, turning it red.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Huan, Familiar of the Evil Eye!" A black fox with three tails ran out of the Link Portal and onto Ace's field in the Main Monster Zone Gorgon was pointing to, resulting in them being co-linked. The small creature had pieces of purple armor on its body and legs, as well as on its head. The creature also had two sets of ears: Two big ones at the top, and two little ones on its sides. Upon looking at Rosetta, Huan narrowed its red eye and growled at her.

**Huan, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 1000 LINK-1** ⬆️

"As there's one more 'Evil Eye' card in the Graveyard with a different name, Gorgon gains 100 more attack points." Ace added.

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2300 + 100 = 2400**

"Battle! Huan, Familiar of the Evil Eye attacks you _directly_!" To Rosetta's surprise, Huan charged forward at Rosetta, intent on sinking its teeth into her.

"Wait, what? How did you-?" Rosetta was about to say, but then took it back. _If I know him, he can be quite unpredictable_, she recalled. _I luckily have my cards to aid me_. "I activate the Trap card, Offensive Guard! Since your monster declared a direct attack, not only can I halve its attack points until the End Phase, I get to draw a card as well!" Offensive Guard fired a blast that hit Huan, temporarily siphoning the fox of its strength.

**Huan, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 1000 / 2 = 500**

Before Huan could lunge at Rosetta, she was able to raise her left arm to act as a shield, causing the fox to bite it instead before being shaken off.

**Rosetta: 4000 – 500 = 3500 LP**

As Rosetta drew a card from her deck, she asked, "I'm guessing your monster is able to attack me directly due to its effect, right Ace?"

"That's correct!" Ace confirmed. "As long as Huan is pointing to an 'Evil Eye' monster, it gets to attack you directly. Putting that aside, it's time for Gorgon to attack Queen of Thorns!" Gorgon's two lenses lit up before firing a beam of red energy at Queen of Thorns, blasting a hole inside her before turning into particles. As a result, Rosetta's body slightly winced.

**Rosetta: 3500 – 200 = 3300 LP**

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Ace concluded. "Which means Huan's attack points revert to normal."

**Huan, Familiar of the Evil Eye ATK: 500 X 2 = 1000**

"I must say, Rosetta. Even with those surprises of yours, I still was able to get around them."

"Perhaps." Rosetta agreed. "But this duel has only begun. My turn! I draw!" She drew the top card of her deck. "I activate the Trap card, Synchro Spirits! I can select a Synchro monster in my Graveyard and banish it. By doing so, if the monsters used for that monster's Synchro Summon are in the Graveyard, I get to Special Summon them back! Return, Twilight Rose Knight and Botanical Girl!" At her command, Twilight Rose Knight and Botanical Girl reappeared on her field.

**Twilight Rose Knight ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

**Botanical Girl ATK: 1300 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"I get what you're doing..." Ace realized. "You intend on Synchro Summoning your Black Rose Dragon to wipe the field out, just like you've always done. But I won't let you!" He gestured to one of his face-down cards. "Continuous-Trap card, activate! Evil Eye Mesmerism! Since you Special Summoned a monster, this card lets me target one of your monsters that has less attack points than an 'Evil Eye' monster on my field and take control of it!"

"What?" Rosetta said in shock.

"I choose your Twilight Rose Knight!" A purple aura surrounded Evil Eye Mesmerism before firing itself onto Twilight Rose Knight, causing the female warrior to jump onto Ace's field. "Now you're tuner-less!"

To Ace's surprise, however, the shocked reaction on Rosetta's face changed into one of confidence. "Why are you so confident of a sudden?"

"Because I'm flexible." Rosetta answered. "But why tell you when I can show you? I'll start by summoning Nettles from my hand." A small grass monster with eyes and a large mouth sprouted onto Rosetta's field.

**Nettles ATK: 1200 DEF: 400 LV: 2**

"I now tune the Level 2 Nettles with the Level 3 Botanical Girl!" A bolt of green lightning struck Rosetta as the world greyed out, causing her two monsters to disappear. Two rings, one green and one pink, appeared before turning blue and merging. Five blue rings stacked in a tower then appeared, a screen displaying "2 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to a "5" as light surged through the rings.

"Maiden in the garden! Grace the field of battle with your beautiful presence!" Rosetta chanted. "Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 5! Garden Rose Maiden!" A beautiful woman with long, blond hair appeared on Rosetta's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. She wore a long, white dress with rose patterns on it. She also had long, white gloves on her arms.

**Garden Rose Maiden ATK: 1600 DEF: 2400 LV: 5**

"Garden Rose Maiden's effect! Since she was Special Summoned, I can-."

"Stop right there!" Ace interrupted. "I activate Gorgon's effect! Once per turn, I can target one effect monster you control and negate its effects until the end of the turn. I target your Garden Rose Maiden!" Gorgon fired a mesmeric blast of energy from her hands at Garden Rose Maiden, temporarily stripping her of her abilities.

"Great..." Rosetta muttered. _I can't add Black Garden now_, she thought. _But I can at least use Botanical Girl's effect_. "You may have negated one effect, but I can still use Botanical Girl's effect. As she was sent to the Graveyard, I get to add a Plant monster with 1000 or less defense points from my deck to my hand." One card popped out of Rosetta's deck, which she added to her hand.

_If I don't attack, then Ace will use his monsters to deal me massive damage_, she thought to herself. _But if I do attack, then I'll end up opening a strategy for him_. This was a difficult choice for her indeed. Should she attack now and deal some damage while risking a chance for Ace to make a comeback on his next turn? Or should Rosetta play it safe and risk nearly losing all her life points?

One way or the other, Ace would be able to respond with a stronger move on his next turn, which made it essential to deplete his life points as soon as possible. "Battle! Garden Rose Maiden attacks Twilight Rose Knight!" Garden Rose Maiden sung a swan song at Twilight Rose Knight, destroying her and turning her into particles.

**Ace: 4000 – 600 = 3400 LP**

"Since Twilight Rose Knight left the field, Evil Eye Mesmerism is now destroyed." Ace explained, as the card turned into yellow particles. "Furthermore, since there's another 'Evil Eye' card in the Graveyard with a different name, Gorgon gains 100 more attack points."

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2400 + 100 = 2500**

"I now Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Rosetta concluded.

"For someone who claims they're done with me, I find that the opposite." Ace theorized. "After all, you couldn't help but attack me with your monster, even though you knew it wouldn't really help."

"That isn't true!" Rosetta countered. "I'm done being your little pawn. Thanks to Raguel, my eyes are open to the truth."

"Oh? And what truth would that be? That your father loved you in the end?" Ace tauntingly asked her.

"Not just that, I was able to finally obtain peace for myself." Rosetta replied. "Unlike you, who only kept 'helping' me by always keeping me in a negative state."

"I only did what I did because I saw potential in you." Ace told her. "Besides, you're going to eventually attach yourself to Raguel, your so-called savior. Just like you did with me six years ago."

_Flashback: Six years ago, in a black market duel field..._

Ace was in a duel against a girl that one of his cohorts told him about. From what he learned, her name was Rosetta, and she dueled without mercy against anyone who got in her way. Why, he didn't know. But what Ace did know was this: Someone who didn't have a proper handle on their emotions can be molded into a weapon. One if used correctly, can reap great benefits for the wielder.

"Battle!" Rosetta declared. "Sorciere De Fleur attacks Catopleas, Familiar of the Evil Eye!" At her command, Sorciere De Fleur fired a violet blast of energy from her scepter at Basilius, destroying the serpent and turning it into particles.

"Not bad," Ace commented, as his life points dropped by that attack. "But if you really want to master your abilities, then stop running from the memories of the past. Your family abandoned you, and no one wanted to help you because they were afraid of your reaction towards them. But you came to the right place. Forget the past, and let us teach you how to mold that pain of yours into a weapon. One that will help you get the revenge you seek."

"But... I'm afraid." Rosetta's shoulder's went down, as she looked at the duel floor. Sensing Rosetta's reaction, Sorciere De Fleur fired a blast of energy at Ace, hitting him with energy. Despite this, he started walking forward to Rosetta.

"I'm glad you're afraid," Ace said to Rosetta. "It means you're making the right decision. I'll always be here for you. I promise. The Black Market can be your new family, where you can be free from the pain that's been tormenting you. All you got to do is enslave it to your will."

"I don't know..." Rosetta responded, taking a step back. To her surprise though, Ace kept walking and embraced her.

"And you never will know until you take action." Ace pointed out. "We will be there for you every step of the way. I promise this as head of the Black Market's Alpha Branch."

_Flashback End: Present day..._

_What did Ace mean when he said I'll attach myself to Raguel_, Rosetta thought. She shook her head, as this was clearly not the time to think about it. If anything, he was probably playing mind-games with her. "I don't get why you're telling me this, Ace."

"For a simple reason." Ace replied, lifting a finger. "Ever since your oh-so-precious mother died from her battle with cancer, you sought validation from others. To the point where you'll constantly try to make them stay with you for continuous love and care. I'll have to admit, using this information to make you _my_ weapon for six years was quite amusing, especially when I intended on eventually seizing your father's fortune through you." He then started laughing as Rosetta processed this information in shock and anger.

"Your... weapon?!" Rosetta repeated. "All this time you've treated me like a weapon? One that-."

"You've answered it yourself." Ace stated. "Once someone's usefulness wears out, they get tossed aside, never to be remembered again."

_And that would have eventually happened to me had Raguel not aided me when I needed it_, Rosetta realized. She narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Make your last move, Ace. Because once it's over, I'm going to ensure nothing of you remains!"

"With pleasure." Ace complied. "My turn! I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Glare of the Evil Eye! Just like before, this card lets me target one card you control and negate its effects until the End Phase. I target Prohibition!" A red blast of light fired out of the card and hit Prohibition, greying it out temporarily.

_He can now activate Evil Eye of Selene_, Rosetta thought to herself. If even one copy is on Ace's field, he'll be able to reap the benefits even if Prohibition activates itself again.

"Gorgon's effect!"

**Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2500 + 100 = 2600**

"Appear! The circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" A Link Portal appeared above Ace. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Evil Eye' monsters. I'll set Huan, Familiar of the Evil Eye, which is a Link 1 monster, and Gorgon, Empress of the Evil Eyed, which is a Link 2 monster into the Link Markers!" Gorgon split into two tornadoes of energy that went into the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads, while Huan went into the top arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! With the power the Evil Eye has given you, unleash your hatred and destruction onto this world in a gleeful manner! Link 3! Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed!" A red-and-gray armored man with large wings emerged from the portal and onto the right Extra Monster Zone on Ace's field. Giant yellow eyes opened at his knees, right arm, left shoulder, and chest. A red lens covered his right eye as well.

**Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2600 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

"Ace brought out his signature monster..." Rosetta muttered to herself, upon seeing Zerrziel on the field. This was the very thing she wanted to prevent by using Prohibition and Queen of Thorns. Yet Ace was able to snake his way around them anyway. "Can't believe I sought comfort from that son of a bitch..."

_Let's make things interesting_, Ace thought, as a card slipped from his sleeve and went into his right hand. "I activate Zerrziel's first effect! Since he was Link Summoned using a monster whose attack points were 2600 or higher, it can attack an additional time during each Battle Phase!"

_Oh come on_, Rosetta thought to herself. With that ability, Zerrziel could literally shred his way through her life points. _But I got two facedown cards to help me._

"I activate the Equip Spell card, Evil Eye of Selene and equip it onto Zerrziel." Ace said, as a red and silver mechanical device appeared, which Zerrziel grabbed and put on his left eye. "Zerrziel's second effect now activates! Once per turn, when he's equipped with Evil Eye of Selene, I can target one card you control and destroy it. Say goodbye to your Prohibition!" Zerrziel fired an optic blast from both red lens at Prohibition, but...

"Continuous-Trap, activate!" Rosetta suddenly said. "Fiendish-!"

"Counter-Trap, activate! Evil Eye Retribution!" Ace responded, much to Rosetta's surprise. If you activate a Spell or Trap card while I control an 'Evil Eye' monster, I can negate the activation and then destroy it. In addition, if 'Evil Eye of Selene' is in my Spell & Trap card zone, this card's activation and effect cannot be negated!"

"What?"

"Take this!" Evil Eye Retribution fired a blast of energy at Fiendish Chain, destroying the card. "Go ahead, Zerrziel. Nothing can interrupt you now!" Zerrziel fired his optic blast at Prohibition, turning it into particles. "Evil Eye of Selene's effect now activates! Whenever the equipped monster activates its effect, or I activate the effect of another 'Evil Eye' Spell or Trap card, it gains 500 attack points and I lose 500 life points." As Zerrziel powered up, Ace clutched his heart in pain. A smirk was evident on his face as the process finished.

**Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2600 + 500 = 3100**

**Ace: 3400 – 500 = 2900 LP**

"It's been fun Rosetta, but all good times must come to an end!" Ace declared, pointing his finger at her. "Battle! Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed attacks Garden Rose Maiden! Disdainful Vision!" The giant, yellow eyes on Zerrziel glowed as he charged energy at the center. He then fired a beam of energy from the eye at the center of his body, which hit Garden Rose Maiden and destroyed her! As a result, Rosetta had to raise her right arm in front of her eyes to protect herself.

**Rosetta: 3300 – 1500 = 1800 LP**

"Finish her, Zerrziel!" Zerrziel once again charged energy at the center of his body before firing it at Rosetta. However….

"Trap card activate!" Rosetta said. "Pinpoint Guard! When a monster you control declares an attack, I'm allowed to target a Level 4 or lower monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it in defense position! Aid me, Nettles!" The small grass monster from before resprouted itself onto Rosetta's field, taking a kneeling position.

**Nettles ATK: 1200 DEF: 400 LV: 2**

A barrier then formed around Nettles, protecting it from Zerrziel's attack.

"I was denied victory... by a piece of grass?!" Ace exclaimed in shock and anger as he gritted his teeth. If he had waited, he could have used Evil Eye Retribution to negate Pinpoint Guard instead! Learning of this revelation made him laugh at himself. "How foolish of me. To think that victory was secured in my hand that easily. The fact you survived proves to me that you've grown as a duelist by my guiding hand. Now this is just... perfect. Come back, Zerrziel." Zerrziel retreated to his master's side.

"You only taught me to duel because you saw potential in me." Rosetta recalled, thinking about their first meeting. "But you only made me into one of your weapons in the process!"

"A strong one, though." Ace pointed out, much to Rosetta's disgust. "What's with that look? You can't blame me for the circumstances that led you to my doorstep." For several seconds, Rosetta couldn't respond as she thought this over. "While you think about what I just told you, I think I'll end my turn, which means Prohibition reactivates itself." Within moments, Prohibition stopped greying out.

"You're right. I can't put all the blame on you." Rosetta eventually admitted, getting his attention. "My actions are my own, and if anything, I'm disgusted with myself for the monster I've become. But that doesn't mean I can't change as a person." She placed her fingers on the top card of her deck. "My turn! I draw!" She drew the top card of her deck. "I summon Rose Practitioner from my hand!" A teenage man wearing red medieval-like clothing with a rose symbol on it and a scepter in his right hand jumped onto Rosetta's field.

**Rose Practitioner ATK: 1100 DEF: 500 LV: 3**

"If Rose Practitioner is Normal Summoned while I have a Plant monster on my field," she explained, "I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower Plant monster from my deck. Come, Lord Poison!" Practitioner raised his scepter, causing a portal to appear on Rosetta's field for a brief moment before a fiendish, muddy creature with spikes all over its body and claws emerged on her field.

**Lord Poison ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"Appear! The circuit of roses!" A Link Portal appeared above Rosetta. "The summoning conditions are two monsters with different types! I'll set Nettles and Rose Practitioner into the Link Markers!" Practitioner went into the left arrowhead, while Nettles went into the bottom arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Crossrose Dragon!" A medium-sized purple dragon covered in different colored roses flew onto Rosetta's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. Her wings consisted of folded-up red roses, along with vine elements on the edges. She also had a long tail, with its end holding several small roses. Crossrose Dragon let out a growl upon seeing Ace.

**Crossrose Dragon ATK: 800 LINK-2** ⬅️⬇️

"A Link monster?" Ace said in surprise. "I didn't expect you to join everyone in using the trending summoning method, Rosetta. In all honesty, I thought you were going to bring out Black Rose Dragon."

"Oh don't worry." Rosetta promised. "You'll see her soon enough. Crossrose Dragon's effect! By tributing her and a Plant monster, I get to Special Summon one 'Rose' Synchro monster or a Plant Synchro monster from my Extra Deck, and treat it as a Synchro Summon!"

"What did you just say?" Ace demanded, now worried at what was about to come.

"Watch and see." Rosetta told him, as Crossrose Dragon and Lord Poison disintegrated into yellow particles and combined to form a new dragon. One with black skin, a body covered in roses, a long slender neck, three mandibles made of roses on her head, and clawed draconic feet. "Rise, Black Rose Dragon!" The Synchro monster roared as she was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Rosetta's field.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"Since Black Rose Dragon is Synchro Summoned, every card on your field is destroyed! Go, Black Rose Gale!"

"This can't be!" Ace exclaimed.

"But it is, Ace!" Rosetta replied, as Black Rose Dragon flapped out her wings in front of her and unleashed a tornado at Zerrziel and Evil Eye of Selene, destroying them before she turned into particles. "At this point, the _second_ effect of Crossrose Dragon now activates! Since a monster I control was destroyed by a card effect, I can banish this card to Special Summon a 'Rose Dragon' monster from my Graveyard. Rebloom, Black Rose Dragon!" Black Rose Dragon reappeared on her field, roaring in the process. Only this time, she was Special Summoned to one of the Main Monster Zones.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"Battle! Black Rose Dragon attacks you directly! Black Rose Flare!" Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it at Ace, which sent him flying backwards and all the way to the ground.

**Ace: 2900 – 2400 = 500 LP**

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." Rosetta concluded.

"You... How dare you!" Ace snarled, getting up from where he was, pure rage now evident in his eyes. "I give you a home, make you my most reliable weapon, and show you the right path. Yet _this_ is how you repay me? By defying me and joining with the enemy?!" He took a breath before continuing. "For what you've done, you'll get to see the true extent of my abilities!"

"The true extent..." Rosetta repeated under her breath. _I thought Zerrziel was his main monster_, she thought. But it then occurred to her. If she had improved her game, then there was a great chance Ace would have as well.

"My turn! I draw!" Ace said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I activate the Spell card, Evil Eye Awakening! This card lets me Special Summon an 'Evil Eye' monster from my hand or Graveyard, but if Evil Eye of Selene is in my Spell & Trap card zone, I can Special Summon from my deck as well! Come back from the Graveyard, Zerrziel!" Zerrziel reappeared on Ace's field, only in the Main Monster Zone.

**Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed ATK: 2600 LINK-3** ↙️⬆️↘️

"I summon Even, Alchemist of the Evil Eye from my hand!" A man with long blond hair to his shoulder-blades and pale skin appeared on Ace's field. He wore pieces of tattered black robes all over his body, which were covered by veins coming from the eyes attached to his clothing.

**Even, Alchemist of the Evil Eye ATK: 1500 DEF: 700 LV: 4**

"When Even is Normal or Special Summoned, the both of us are allowed to excavate the top three cards of our decks, add one of them to our hands, and send the rest to our Graveyards!" Ace explained, as he took the top three cards of his deck and looked at them. "Consider this your last gift from me, Rosetta. Because no matter what you choose, it won't help you."

Rosetta ignored Ace as she took the top three cards of her deck and looked at them. _Fallen Angel of Roses, Rose Lover, and_... Her eyes widened at the last card. _Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel! I never had this card in my deck!_ It then dawned on her. This was another of the cards Hideki made for her. Even though he wasn't here right now, he was still helping her get through this duel! Without a second thought, Rosetta knew what to do. "I chose my card, Ace. Have you?"

"I have." Ace confirmed. "And now it's time for you to witness my ultimate weapon!" He pointed his right hand to the sky before making a fist. "Appear! The circuit of the all-consuming Evil Eye!" A Link Portal soon appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Evil Eye' monsters, including an 'Evil Eye' Link monster! I'll set Even, Alchemist of the Evil Eye, and Zerrziel, Ruler of the Evil Eyed, which is a Link 3 monster, into the Link Markers!" Zerrziel split into three tornadoes and went into the left, right, and bottom-left arrowheads, while Even went into the bottom-right arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Malevolent spirit sealed within the Evil Eye! Break free of your shackles, and engulf this world, no this universe into darkness! Link Summon! Link 4! Dharkon, Entity of the Evil Eye!" A massive swarm of spiked black and red tentacles breached its way through the Link Portal and flew onto Ace's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. At the center of the tentacles was a black eyeball, with its conjunctiva being blue, while the pupil was a slitted yellow color.

**Dharkon, Entity of the Evil Eye ATK: 2800 LINK-4** ↙️⬅️➡️↘️

"When Dharkon is Link Summoned, I'm allowed to target as many copies of Evil Eye of Selene in my Graveyard and equip them to this card." Ace explained. "Since there's three copies in my Graveyard, I'll equip all three onto my monster!"

"What?" Rosetta said, shocked at what she just heard. Soon, three red and silver mechanical lenses floated from Ace's Graveyard and orbited around Dharkon's eye.

"Battle!" Ace declared. "Dharkon, Entity of the Evil Eye attacks Black Rose Dragon! Shadow Impalement!" The tentacles surrounding Dharkon's eye morphed into spiked, shadowy spears before they went straight towards Black Rose Dragon and impaled her!

"Black Rose Dragon!" Rosetta screamed, as her monster screamed in pain before turning into yellow particles.

**Rosetta: 1500 – 400 = 1100 LP**

"I've been waiting a long time to do that, my dear." Ace commented. "And there's a lot more to come. Like this! I activate Dharkon's second effect! Once per turn, when it destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, I can destroy cards you control up to the number of Evil Eye of Selene in my Spell & Trap card zone, and inflict 500 damage for each card destroyed by this effect. Since you only have one card, it's best to destroy your last hope of winning this duel! Thorn Spray!" The tentacles surrounding Dharkon's eye then morphed into a spiked cluster, which fired energy bullets at Rosetta's face-down card, destroying it and turning it into particles. The bullets then bounced off the destroyed card and at Rosetta, shredding pieces of her clothing in the process.

**Rosetta: 1100 – 500 = 600 LP**

"The effects of my three copies of Evil Eye of Selene now activates! Since the equipped monster's effect was activated, it gains 500 attack points while I lose 500 life points!"

"But you don't have enough life points to pay for Evil Eye of Selene's cost!" Rosetta pointed out. "Which means you lost by your own hand!"

"Not necessarily." Ace replied, surprising her. "I activate the monster effect of Serziel's Aide from my hand! By discarding this card from my hand to the Graveyard, I gain life points equal to the life points I would have lost due to the effect of Evil Eye of Selene!" As Ace discarded a card from his hand, a golden aura protected him from the self-inflicted cost of the three Evil Eye of Selenes on the field, while Dharkon powered up.

**Dharkon, Entity of the Evil Eye ATK: 2800 + (500 X 3) = 4300**

**Ace: 500 + (500 X 3) = 2000 LP**

_Not good_, Rosetta thought. _Ace managed to find a way to circumvent the cost of Evil Eye of Selene and boost his life points at the same time. If I'm to finish him off on my next turn, I must negate the effects of all three copies of Evil Eye of Selene on the field. And to do that, I must draw the card I need!_

"You can't beat me now that Dharkon is on my field." Ace pointed out. "And why bother? After all, you have no cards on your field and only 600 life points left. But feel free to try! I end my turn." He started laughing loudly.

"My turn! I draw!" Rosetta drew the top card of her deck and looked at it. "You're wrong, Ace." Realizing he couldn't hear her, she spoke up and said, "I SAID YOU'RE WRONG, ACE!"

"Did you just say I was wrong?" Ace demanded. "A broken girl like you dares to say that I'm _wrong_?!"

"Yeah. I do dare." Rosetta answered, much to his shock. "You want to know why? Because even though I'm broken, there's a difference between the way I was back then and the way I am now. This time, I have real people who will help me pick myself back up. My father, Raguel, and Blue Angel. They'll help me in stopping you for good!"

"You think you can defeat me?! The leader of the Black Market's Alpha Branch?!" Ace exclaimed. "You have no cards on your field and only 600 life points left. What chance do you have of stopping me?!"

To his surprise though, Rosetta smirked. "Just the chance I need," she replied. "I activate the effect of Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel from my hand! By banishing a Level 7 or higher Plant monster from my hand and a Level 7 or higher Plant monster from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon this card from my hand! I banish Queen Angel of Roses from my hand and Fallen Angel of Roses from my Graveyard! Now come forth, Rosaria!" A white-skinned male with a white cloth around his waist appeared on Rosetta's field. Silver pieces of armor were on his arms and legs, along with a white crown with wings on his forehead. He also had angelic, rosy wings, which were red on the left and black on the right.

**Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel ATK: 2900 DEF: 2400 LV: 8**

"Rosaria's second effect! Once per turn, I can negate the effects of all face-up cards on the field until the End Phase. Go, Rose Nullification!" Rosaria's wings glowed as he unleashed a blast of energy from them at Dharkon and the three copies of Evil Eye of Selene, draining them of their energy.

"You little..." Ace snarled, enraged at what she did as Dharkon's strength returned to normal.

**Dharkon, Entity of the Evil Eye ATK: 4300 – 1500 = 2800**

"I activate Garden Rose Maiden's effect!" Rosetta continued. "By banishing her from my Graveyard, I get to Special Summon a 'Rose Dragon' monster or Dragon Synchro monster from my Graveyard! Return, Black Rose Dragon!" At her command, Black Rose Dragon reappeared on her field in the Main Monster Zone. Upon looking at Ace, she let out a roar in rage, furious with what he did to her in the previous turn.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"Battle! Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel attacks Dharkon, Entity of the Evil Eye! Valhalla Harvest!" Rosaria gathered energy in his hands and fired it at Dharkon, crippling the monster and burning it alive.

**Ace: 2000 – 100 = 1900 LP**

"This last attack will end it! Black Rose Dragon attacks you directly, Ace! Black Rose Flare!" Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it at Ace, who stood tall and screamed as he took the full attack.

**Ace: 1900 – 2400 = 0**

Ace, who was miraculously standing on his two feet, started coughing up blood.

"It's over now, Ace..." Rosetta proclaimed, as she started walking forward, facing the ground. However, by the time she reached Ace, he started talking, getting her attention.

"So this is it. This is your true power." Ace murmured, his hair covering his eyes. He then turned to Rosetta and reached his right hand out towards her, touching her cheek. "You are truly a wicked woman. You defied me, right up until the very end. But I forgive you." His body started turning red. "The things you ultimately cannot possess are the most beautiful of all."

Ace's right hand then dropped from Rosetta's face as his body disintegrated. "Farewell, my greatest weapon. You know, if there's one thing I can say for certain, it sure has been a whole lot of fun." After saying that, he broke apart completely, leaving Rosetta alone.

_This Ace is an interesting fellow_, the azure-overcoated man thought to himself, having witnessed the conclusion to the duel. _The connections he has with the black market will make him a valuable ally once the Tower of Hanoi is destroyed_. He then walked away from the scene and started leaping from building to building once again.

"Hang on a minute..." Rosetta muttered, as she looked at the two cards Ace left behind when he became part of the Tower. Immediately recognizing them, she picked them up. "Crusadia Maximus and Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme. Once this is over, I will return you to your proper owners." But upon closer inspection, she realized that the cards were greyed out completely! "What?! Why are the cards greyed out?"

"It's simple Rosetta," the voice of Lord Kazuma answered, as he stepped out of a portal to face her. "Those two cards became part of the Tower a long time ago." He then chuckled to himself. "But considering how you were once our ally, I had expected you to know that."

"So all you sought this time was their destruction?" Rosetta realized. Suddenly, she felt intense guilt for how her problems aided in the coming eradication of an innocent race of creatures.

"Yup." Lord Kazuma confirmed. "After all, the whole point of this Tower is to eradicate the Ignis, and the Cyberse as well!" He then noticed the serious look she was giving him. "Why so serious? Are you pissed off about your role in all this? Besides, for the Tower to work, we needed World Gears, the data signature of a Cyberse creature, and a whole lot of data material."

"I'll tell you why I'm serious." Rosetta said, getting his attention as she activated her Duel Disk once again. "It's because I'm angry with myself for the role I played in all this. And you want to know what I'll do? I'll kick your ass and help Raguel and the others in destroying the monstrosity I helped unleash!"

"Oh, such bravado!" Lord Kazuma clapped mockingly before activating his own Duel Disk. "But enough talk. It's time for the show to begin!"

"Duel!" Lord Kazuma and Rosetta shouted, ready to face each other in the duel that was yet to come. Behind Rosetta were the silhouettes of Rosaria and Black Rose Dragon, while behind Lord Kazuma were the silhouettes of Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, and an unknown monster.

**Card Gallery**

_Rose Practitioner (LV: 3/Spellcaster/Earth/ATK: 1100/DEF: 500)_

_Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned while you control a Plant monster on your field: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Plant monster from your deck. If this card is in your GY, except the turn it was sent there: You can banish this card; Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Plant monster from your hand. _

_Serziel's Aide (LV: 3/Fiend/Dark/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)_

_Effect: If you would lose life points by the effect of one or more copies of 'Evil Eye of Selene': You can send this card from your hand to the GY; you gain LP equal to the LP you would have lost by that effect. You can only activate 1 'Serziel's Aide' effect per turn._

_Even, Alchemist of the Evil Eye (LV: 4/Fiend/Dark/ATK: 1500/DEF: 700)_

_Effect: When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, both players must excavate the top three cards of their decks, add 1 of them to their respective hands, and send the rest to their respective GY's. If this card is in your GY: You can discard 1 'Evil Eye' card from your hand; add this card to your hand. You can only activate 1 'Even, Alchemist of the Evil Eye' effect per turn, and only one that turn._

_Glare of the Evil Eye (Quick-Play Spell card)_

_Effect: When this card is activated while you control an 'Evil Eye' monster: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; negate its effects until the End Phase. _

_Beltran, Familiar of the Evil Eye (LR: 1/Fiend/Dark/ATK: 100/⬇️️)_

_Effect: When this card is Link Summoned: You can add 1 'Evil Eye' card from your deck to your hand. Once per turn: You can destroy a card this card points to, and if you do, you can target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy it. _

_Huan, Familiar of the Evil Eye (LR: 1/Fiend/Dark/ATK: 1000/__️⬆️)_

_Effect: If this card points to an 'Evil Eye' monster, it can attack your opponent directly. Once, if this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the GY: You can tribute 1 'Evil Eye' monster on your field; Special Summon this card from your GY._

_Dharkon, Entity of the Evil Eye (LR: 4/Fiend/Dark/ATK: 2800/__↙️__️__️⬅️➡️↘️)_

_Effect: 2 or more 'Evil Eye' monsters, including an 'Evil Eye' Link monster. When this card is Link Summoned: You can target as many copies of 'Evil Eye of Selene' in your GY; equip them to this card. When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the GY: You can destroy cards your opponent controls up to the number of 'Evil Eye of Selene' in your Spell & Trap card zone. If this card would leave the field: You can banish 1 'Evil Eye of Selene' in your Spell & Trap card zone instead. _

**QOTC**

_Who do you think the azure-overcoated man is?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 30: Sneer of the Magician. Immediately after her duel with Ace, Rosetta duels against Lord Kazuma, intent on atoning for her part in the Tower of Hanoi's creation. Using the cards her father gave her, she manages to surprisingly push back against Lord Kazuma's tactics. However, as the duel goes on, he unleashes something that was once hidden..._

**Author's Notes**

Hi everyone! This chapter immediately picks up from Chapter 28 and kicks off the Tower of Hanoi arc in style. With a lot going on in this chapter, I'll only be covering the main points.

The main thing that happens in this chapter is the duel between Rosetta vs Ace. Being the first round of the Tower of Hanoi arc, I wanted to open the arc in style, which is why I had both Ace and Rosetta use some new moves. For Ace, I gave him some new Link monsters, including his boss monster, Dharkon, Entity of the Evil Eyed (his design, did you know, is based off of Dharkon from Super Smash Bros Ultimate.).

For Rosetta, not only did she play a card that crippled Ace's strategy for a few turns, she also utilized new cards such as two new Synchro monsters, a Link monster, and another new ace monster: Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel. By including these cards, I want to show how Rosetta's grown and how flexible she's willing to be now that she's at peace with herself.

There was also a small backstory on how Ace and Rosetta met. Basically, one of Ace's flunkies witnessed Rosetta in person and reported back to him, who had the flunky bring her to the Black Market's Alpha Branch Duel ground. There, he dueled Rosetta in person, and upon learning of her skill, took her in.

Unbeknownst to Ace and Rosetta, though, is that someone was watching their duel. I intend for him to make a couple more appearances during the Tower of Hanoi arc, where he'll be watching the duels that occur. If you're curious as to his design, search up Azure Siegfried from Trails of Cold Steel.

The last thing that happens is a brief confrontation between Rosetta and Lord Kazuma before their duel begins, which is what the next chapter will be. By doing this, I can immediately start the chapter with the duel and hopefully take less time to release it.

Thank you to everyone for reading Chapter 29 of Obscured Truth. Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews below. In addition, constructive criticism is always welcome, as it helps make the story even better. If you know of anyone who would be interested in reading the story, don't hesitate in showing them.

Before I go, I just want to say one more thing for now:

HAPPY ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSERY, OBSCURED TRUTH!

Stay tuned for next chapter, as the second duel of the Tower of Hanoi arc gets 'magical'!


	30. Chapter 30: Sneer of the Magician

**Response to Reviews**

Thank you to Savagemaster19, HunterHQ, Naruto1999, Kingdom Hearts Guy, Jason, Cyber Warrior, Guest, And then the Sky, E.T. 2000, Cosmic Cat, Guest, Pikachu99, Yuman28, Revolver, and Donjusticia for reviewing Chapter 29 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everyone! I first hope that you're all safe and healthy wherever you are. I want to thank everyone for their positive reviews on the official start of the Tower of Hanoi arc, as well as their thoughts and theories. It really gives a chance for you to share what you think will happen next, don't you think?

With that out of the way, let's get to answering those reviews!

Savagemaster19: That's... an interesting theory you got there. Glad to see you're enjoying the story so far.

HunterHQ: Yes. There will definitely be some sacrifice and heartbreak in the chapters to come. The reason why Percival and Demeter aren't with the group right now is because Watchman put them on standby in the event things took a turn for the worse. As for the data that Monty has on Ace, it contains information about him, which includes his real-life identity because black-market bosses have to be open with each other (but to an extent).

Naruto1999: Ace a romantic? That is definitely not the case. Even before he got turned into data, he was trying to stir some doubt into Rosetta. As to how that'll affect her, you'll have to read the following chapters and see.

Kingdom Hearts Guy: Of course things are getting serious.

Noobmaster: Revolver told Infearno to let Ace and Athaliah think they have the element of surprise. If things went out of hand, he would crush them without mercy. However, he was banking on the good guys to do that for him. And yes, Yuhiro and Roxy have the recording to put Kitamura out of the picture for good (courtesy of Yusaku and Kusanagi). While I can't spill everything about the azure-overcoated man, what I can tell you is that he'll be making some more appearances in the coming chapters as he watches other duels going on.

Jason: You'll have to read and see.

Cyber Warrior: Yes. Rosetta faced a piece of her demons and took a step forward. As for your discovery, I'll tell you now. The name of Infearno's wife isn't Kokuro. The answer lies in the heart of the cards.

Guest: For Watchman to get to Dr. Kogami, he'll have to break into the tower and bypass its security measures. When Herald plays video games, he's a fair sport, but he is willing to use a cheat code if the situation calls for it.

And then the Sky: Glad you enjoyed the chapter. I am curious, though, as to what you meant when you said that Ace will 'reinvent' yourself. Could you perhaps clarify what you had in mind? Also, do keep in mind: The events of Chapter 30 occur in tandem along with the duel between Blue Angel and Specter. I hope that clarifies things for you.

E.T. 2000: Thanks very much. Glad you liked how Rosetta defeated Ace, thus proving that she wants to change. Also, Ace cheated during their duel. If he hadn't, he wouldn't be able to summon Dharkon, Entity of the Evil Eye. For Herald, I'm not sure yet. Could you give me some time to think about it? As for your other question... you'll have your answer near the end of the chapter. That I promise you.

Cosmic Cat: Thank you for the five stars!

Guest: I said a few chapters ago that there would be chance for me to use cards from Rush Duels, but only if the situation demands it. For instance, if I wanted to, I could make a Charisma Duelist that uses Royal Demons cards.

Pikachu99: Glad you enjoyed Rosetta's character growth in the previous chapter.

Yuman28: Yes. Rosetta is growing as a character. I sure hope you enjoy her duel in this chapter.

Revolver: Thank you very much.

Donjusticia: Glad you enjoyed the chapter. And no, the azure-overcoated man does not use the X-Saber archetype. That I can confirm with you. Also, if you're curious about where I got his design from, look up Azure Siegfried from Trails of Cold Steel.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter 30: Sneer of the Magician**

_In LINK VRAINS..._

"Duel!" Rosetta and Lord Kazuma shouted in unison.

**Lord Kazuma: 4000 LP**

**Rosetta: 4000 LP**

"As we're all on a clock here, I shall make the first move." Lord Kazuma immediately said. "To start, I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Last Lost Magic Battle!" The card showed an ancient battlefield, with two priests on each side of the field. One priest had the Dark Magician, while the other had the Blue Eyes White Dragon. "When a Spellcaster monster I control is targeted for attack, this card lets me cut any battle damage I take in half once per turn. Also, each time I take battle damage, I can place a Sacrament counter on this card. Next, I summon Magician's Rod from my hand." A spectral version of a spellcaster with shiny, curved plates that had sharp edges and covered the torso and shoulder areas appeared on Lord Kazuma's field. It carried a long rod in it's hands.

**Magician's Rod ATK: 1600 DEF: 100 LV: 3**

"When this card is Normal Summoned, I get to add a Spell or Trap card that specifically lists the card 'Dark Magician' in its text. Let's see here. How about this one?" A card popped out of Lord Kazuma's deck before he added it to his hand. "I activate the Continuous-Spell card, Dark Magical Circle! Now I can look at the top three cards of my deck for a 'Dark Magician' or a Spell or Trap card listing 'Dark Magician' specifically in its text. Then by revealing it to you, I get to add it to my hand." Lord Kazuma looked at the top three cards of his deck before choosing one. "I reveal to you the Spell card, Bond Between Teacher and Student!"

Rosetta narrowed her eyes upon looking at that card. _From what I recall about Lord Kazuma's deck, if he has even one copy of Dark Magician on his field and/or hand, it lets him do all sorts of stuff_, Rosetta thought to herself. _And not the good kind. But right now, it doesn't look like he has Dark Magician in his hand or field. As long as I eliminate all copies of that card, I can win this duel!_

"Dark Magical Circle's second effect!" Lord Kazuma continued. "Since I revealed my choice of card to you, I can rearrange the remaining two cards in any order and place them on top of my deck. This shall do for now." One card was placed on the other before returning to Lord Kazuma's deck. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn. You're up."

"My turn! I draw!" Rosetta said, drawing the top card of her deck. "I'll start by activating Rose Princess's effect from my hand! Since only you control a monster on the field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand and treat it as a Tuner monster!" A woman with bundled up hair in the shape of a rose and wearing a gallant, long rosy dress appeared on Rosetta's field. She had long gloves on her arms, with a rose on her wrists. At her back were two, small black wings.

**Rose Princess ATK: 1200 DEF: 800 LV: 3**

"I now Normal Summon Botanical Girl from my hand!" A teenage girl wearing plant-like clothing all over her body appeared on Rosetta's field. Her hair consisted of large rose petals at the front, while at the back, there was a large bulb.

**Botanical Girl ATK: 1300 DEF: 1000 LV: 3**

"Level 3 Rose Princess tunes Level 3 Botanical Girl from my hand!" Rosetta declared, as a bolt of green lightning struck her and the world greyed out, causing both monsters to disappear. Two pink rings appeared before turning blue and merging. Six blue rings stacked in a tower then appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to a "6" as light surged through the rings.

"Queen of the hidden castle, let the forces of mother nature course through you!" Rosetta chanted. "Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 6! Queen of Thorns!" A woman in a green and red dress covered in leaves and vines appeared on Rosetta's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.

**Queen of Thorns ATK: 2200 DEF: 1800 LV: 6**

"As long as Queen of Thorns is on the field, we must pay 1000 life points to Normal or Special Summon a monster from our hands, except if it's a Plant monster." Rosetta explained. "In addition, I'll activate Botanical Girl's effect! Since she was sent to the Graveyard, I get to add a Plant monster with 1000 or less defense points from my deck to my hand." A card then popped out of Rosetta's deck, which she took and added to her hand.

Lord Kazuma frowned as he looked at Queen of Thorns. _She must be planning on locking me down before ending the duel quickly_, he theorized. _Good thing I'm two steps ahead!_

"Battle! Queen of Thorns attacks Magician's Rod!" Queen of Thorns leapt forward and slashed Magician's Rod, turning the monster into yellow particles.

"Thanks to Last Lost Magic Battle, I can cut the damage I take in half once per turn." Lord Kazuma reminded her, as his life points dropped. "In addition, I can place a Sacrament counter on this card."

**Lord Kazuma: 4000 – (600 / 2) = 3700 LP**

**Last Lost Magic Battle SC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Rosetta concluded. _Whatever Lord Kazuma is planning_, she thought, I have to be ready. _If he plans anything sneaky, my Briar Transplant Trap card will banish that card from the duel, and in the event he were to go after my life points, my other card will keep me safe!_

"My turn! I draw!" Lord Kazuma said, drawing the top card of his deck. "I activate the second effect of Last Lost Magical Battle! Once per turn, if I remove a Sacrament counter from this card, I get to Special Summon Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl from my deck or Graveyard!"

"Your card can do that?" Rosetta said in shock. That wasn't good to hear.

"That's correct!" Lord Kazuma confirmed. "Come to me, my ace monster! Dark Magician!" On Lord Kazuma's command, a spellcaster in dark blue armor with shiny, curved plates that had sharp edges and covered the torso and shoulder areas appeared on his field. On the edges of the plates were curved trimmings of contrasting shade. He had blue-colored skin and white hair, and in his right hand was a dark blue rod.

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 LV: 7**

**Last Lost Magic Battle SC: 1 – 1 = 0**

"Dark Magical Circle's effect! Whenever Dark Magician is Normal or Special Summoned, I can target one card you control and banish it!" Lord Kazuma snickered as he pointed his finger at the face-down card on Rosetta's left. "I choose that card!"

"Damn it..." Rosetta muttered, as Dark Magical Circle then fired a blast of energy at the face-down card, revealing it to be Briar Transplant before turning it into particles. _Briar Transplant would have really come in handy_, she thought.

"I now activate the Spell card, Bond Between Teacher and Student!" Lord Kazuma continued. "Since I control Dark Magician, I'm allowed to Special Summon Dark Magician Girl from my hand, deck, or Graveyard. Come, Dark Magician Girl!" A teenage girl in blue robes with a pink skirt and small pink cape winked at Rosetta as she appeared beside Dark Magician. She had long, blond spiky hair that extended to the middle of her back. On top of her head was a blue wizard's hat with pink rings encircling it. She also wore high-heeled blue boots with pink rings as well. In her hands, she carried a scepter.

**Dark Magician Girl ATK: 2000 DEF: 1700 LV: 6**

"Also, I'm allowed to Set either Dark Magic Attack, Dark Burning Attack, Dark Burning Magic, or Dark Magic Twin Burst straight from my deck to my field. And I know the perfect choice!" He maliciously smiled as he took a card from his deck and Set it on his field. "It's time to battle! Dark Magician attacks your Queen of Thorns! Dark Magic Attack!" Dark Magician fired a magical blast from his dark blue rod at Queen of Thorns, who screamed before turning into particles.

**Rosetta: 4000 – 300 = 3700 LP**

"Dark Magician Girl now attacks you directly! Dark Burning Attack!" Dark Magician Girl fired a magical blast of energy from her scepter, which was headed straight for Rosetta!

"Not so fast." Rosetta said. "I activate the Trap card, Ground Capture! When you declare an attack, I can halve any battle damage from that attack!" Soon, a giant stone hand erupted from the ground and temporarily stopped Dark Magician Girl's attack. Unfortunately, it went through and hit Rosetta, pushing her back a bit.

**Rosetta: 3700 – (2000 / 2) = 2700 LP**

"Also, if I take 1000 or more damage from that battle, I get to draw one card from my deck." She then drew the top card from her deck.

"A nice defense indeed." Lord Kazuma praised her. "Which means the show can continue! I end my turn."

"My turn! I draw!" Rosetta said, drawing the top card of her deck. "Let me ask you something, Kazuma. Why is it do you seek joy in causing pain to others?"

Lord Kazuma nearly fell over upon hearing Rosetta call him 'Kazuma' instead of his actual name. "You too? Man, it's starting to annoy me. But I'll entertain you with an answer regardless. I revel in hurting people to obtain the joy I so seek. After all, a man I once knew told me to smile, and he advised me to do whatever it took to feel happy, even if it's questionable."

"What are you saying?" Rosetta demanded, appalled by Lord Kazuma's answer. "Are you basically admitting you're some sort of psychopath?!"

"Oh no, my dear." Lord Kazuma wiggled his finger back and forth at her. "I'm far from being a psychopath. I'm just like everyone else. A human being."

Rosetta was further appalled by Lord Kazuma's response. The fact that he said he was like everyone else scared her. No. What scared her more was that she, as a human being, could go down a dark path that Lord Kazuma took, whatever it was.

"I'll show you that this human being is far from a psychopath." Rosetta said.

"Be my guest, traitor. But it is the truth." Lord Kazuma casually responded.

Rosetta narrowed her eyes. "I'll start by activating Card of Variation. This card lets me draw two cards, but I must send one card from my hand to the Graveyard at the end of my turn. Otherwise, I take 3000 points of damage." She calmly drew the top two cards of her deck. Upon looking at them, she smirked.

"I now activate the Continuous-Spell card, Cards from the Blessed Grass! This card lets me Special Summon one Card Plant token for every card added to my hand. Since I added three cards, I can Special Summon three Card Plant tokens to my field!" Soon, three pieces of grass with eyes sprouted onto Rosetta's field.

**Card Plant Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

**Card Plant Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

**Card Plant Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LV: 1**

"Next, I summon Rose Practitioner from my hand." A teenage man wearing red medieval-like clothing with a rose symbol on it and a scepter in his right hand jumped onto Rosetta's field.

**Rose Practitioner ATK: 1100 DEF: 500 LV: 3**

"If Rose Practitioner is Normal Summoned while I have a Plant monster on my field," she began to explain, but Lord Kazuma cut her off.

"Like hell I'm letting you summon Black Rose Dragon!" Lord Kazuma interrupted her. "Quick-Play Spell, activate! Dark Burning Magic! Since I control Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, every card on your field is wiped out for good!"

"Not necessarily." Rosetta replied. "I activate the effect of Nature's Protector from my hand!" Immediately, a woman with shoulder-length red hair and wearing a green dress with roses decorating it appeared. "If one or more Plant monsters would be destroyed by a card effect, I can send this card to my Graveyard instead!" Nature's Protector then raised her hands to form a barrier that protected the Card Plant tokens. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Rose Practitioner, as he was destroyed.

"Nevertheless, I still prevented you from summoning Black Rose Dragon." Lord Kazuma stated.

"Or did you?" Rosetta replied, getting Lord Kazuma's attention. "I activate the Equip Spell card, Mark of the Rose! By banishing a Plant monster from my Graveyard, I can target a monster you control and equip it with this card. Afterwards, I can then take control of it! I banish Botanical Girl to equip your Dark Magician with Mark of the Rose!"

"You dare?!" Lord Kazuma exclaimed, as a rose mark went out of the card and onto Dark Magician, who was surrounded with a dark aura. He then leapt onto Rosetta's field.

"Appear! The circuit of roses!" Rosetta declared, as a Link Portal appeared above her. "The summoning conditions are two monsters with different types! I'll set one of my Card Plant tokens with your Dark Magician into the Link Markers!" Dark Magician went into the bottom arrowhead, while one of the Card Plant tokens went into the left arrowhead.

"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Crossrose Dragon!" A medium-sized purple dragon covered in different colored roses flew onto Rosetta's field in the right Extra Monster Zone. Her wings consisted of folded-up red roses, along with vine elements on the edges. She also had a long tail, with its end holding several small roses. Crossrose Dragon let out a growl upon seeing Lord Kazuma.

**Crossrose Dragon ATK: 800 LINK-2** ⬅️⬇️

"Crossrose Dragon's effect! By tributing her and a Plant monster, I get to Special Summon one 'Rose' Synchro monster or a Plant Synchro monster from my Extra Deck, and treat it as a Synchro Summon!"

"I don't think so!" Lord Kazuma responded. "Continuous-Trap, activate! Magician's Combination! Once per turn, this card lets me tribute either Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl to Special Summon one or the other from my hand or Graveyard, as long as its name is different. By doing so, I can negate the activated effect. I tribute Dark Magician Girl to bring back Dark Magician!" A gateway then appeared from the card, which Dark Magician emerged from, while Dark Magician Girl went into it.

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 LV: 7**

The card then fired a wave of energy at Crossrose Dragon, negating her effect.

"Furthermore, Dark Magical Circle's effect activates as well! And just like before, I can target one card you control and banish it! Only this time, I choose Crossrose Dragon!" Lord Kazuma laughed as Dark Magical Circle fired a blast of energy at Crossrose Dragon, turning her into particles. "Is there any more surprises you got this turn? Or are you going to do the sensible thing and end your turn?"

"I... Set one card face-down and end my turn." Rosetta concluded, clearly angry by what Lord Kazuma just did to Crossrose Dragon. "As it's the End Phase, I will also discard one card from my hand to avoid taking 3000 points of damage from Card of Variation."

"Then it's back to me! My turn! I draw!" Lord Kazuma said, snickering as he drew the top card of his deck. "I honestly expected more from you this turn, Rosetta. But-."

"I activate the second effect of Nature's Protector from my Graveyard." Rosetta interrupted him. "By banishing this card from my Graveyard, you can't target Plant monsters for attacks this turn!"

"Hmph. Still got some fight in you? Alright. I'll entertain you." Lord Kazuma decided. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Soul Servant! This card lets me place one card from my hand, deck or Graveyard to the top of my deck that lists Dark Magician in its text." He looked through his hand, deck, and Graveyard before deciding. "I know. This one!" After picking the designated card, it appeared at the top of his deck. "But stop with one effect when I can use two? I activate Soul Servant's second effect! By banishing this card, I can draw cards equal to the number of 'Palladium', Dark Magician, and Dark Magician Girl monsters with different names on my Field and in my Graveyard. How many do you think I have, Rosetta?"

"Two..." Rosetta answered, much to her dismay.

"And that's the correct answer!" Lord Kazuma confirmed. "Since Dark Magician is on my field and Dark Magician Girl is in my Graveyard, I can draw two cards!" He drew the top two cards of his deck. "Next, I activate not one, but _two_ copies of Thousand Knives! Since I control Dark Magician, I can target a monster you control and destroy it. I have two copies of Thousand Knives and you have two Card Plant tokens." His eyes then widened as he sneered. "Which means both of them go bye-bye!"

"Oh no!" Rosetta exclaimed, as a thousand knives erupted from both cards and skewered both Card Plant tokens.

"Oh yes!" Lord Kazuma confirmed. "Battle! Dark Magician attacks you directly! Dark Magic Attack!" Dark Magician fired a magical blast from his dark blue rod, which headed straight for Rosetta!

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Half Shut!" Rosetta said. "This card lets me halve the attack points of your monster until the End Phase. However, it can't be destroyed this turn."

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 / 2 = 1250**

The blast then hit Rosetta, pushing her back.

**Rosetta: 2700 – 1250 = 1450 LP**

_She waited until I attacked to use that card, _Lord Kazuma realized, frowning in the process. _Magician's Combination can't be activated during the Damage Step, which is why she waited!_ "I end my turn," he concluded. "Which means Dark Magician's attack points revert to normal."

**Dark Magician ATK: 1250 X 2 = 2500**

"Then it's my turn! I draw!" Rosetta said, drawing the top card of her deck. She looked at the only card in her hand and realized something.

She had to place everything on this card.

Or everything she vowed to do would be for naught.

"You said that human beings are the same, right Kazuma?" Rosetta asked him, getting his attention.

"Why yes, yes they are." Lord Kazuma answered her. "Human beings may claim they're on a path of righteousness, but they all have one thing in common. They'll do something evil and/or questionable in order to make themselves happy, whether it's a crime or not. In the end, what they do to make themselves happy turns them into a fucked up human being. Now and forever."

"That might be true. But there is grace in our failings." Rosetta countered. "I don't know why you're so messed up, but I'll show you that humans can be _good_!"

"As I said before, you can try."

"I activate the Spell card, Card of Demise!" Rosetta began. "This card lets me draw until I have five cards in my hand. At the fifth Standby Phase of this cards activation, I must send my entire hand to the Graveyard." As Rosetta put her hand on the top card of her deck, she thought, _Dad, Raguel, Blue Angel. Help me get through this duel_. She then drew all five cards at once. Upon looking at what she drew, she smirked.

"When I have no monsters on my field, I'm allowed to Special Summon Rose Squire from my hand!" A small boy wearing squire-like armor with a rose attached to it leapt onto Rosetta's field.

**Rose Squire ATK: 100 DEF: 800 LV: 3**

"Next, I activate the effect of Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel from my hand! By banishing a Level 7 or higher Plant monster from my hand and a Level 7 or higher Plant monster from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon this card from my hand! I banish Queen Angel of Roses from my hand and Fallen Angel of Roses from my Graveyard! Now come forth, Rosaria!" A white-skinned male with a white cloth around his waist appeared on Rosetta's field. Silver pieces of armor were on his arms and legs, along with a white crown with wings on his forehead. He also had angelic, rosy wings, which were red on the left and black on the right.

**Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel ATK: 2900 DEF: 2400 LV: 8**

"Rosaria's second effect! Once per turn, I can negate the effects of all face-up cards on the field until the End Phase. Go, Rose Nullification!" Rosaria's wings glowed as he unleashed a blast of energy from them at Lord Kazuma's cards, nullifying their effects.

"So you're getting serious now, is that it?" Lord Kazuma said, gritting his teeth at what she just did.

"Now I summon Lord Poison from my hand!" Rosetta continued, as a fiendish, muddy creature with spikes all over its body and claws emerged on her field.

**Lord Poison ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"I tune the Level 3 Rose Squire with the Level 4 Lord Poison!" The world then greyed out, causing Rosetta's two monsters to disappear. Two rings, one pink and one brown, appeared before turning blue and merging. Seven blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "7" as light surged through the rings.

"The cold flame engulfs the entire world!" Rosetta chanted. "Pitch-black flower, bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 7! Black Rose Dragon!" A massive, black-skinned dragon, whose entire body was covered in roses, spread out her wings and let out a shriveling roar as she was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Rosetta's field. She had a long, slender neck that was covered in roses at the back, and three mandibles that were made of roses on her head. She also had clawed draconic feet. In addition, the dragon had a long, thorned tail, along with thinner thorned tails. Black Rose Dragon's orange eyes glowed as she glared at Lord Kazuma.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800 LV: 7**

"When Black Rose Dragon is Synchro Summoned, every card on your field is destroyed! I'll also activate Rose Squire's effect! Since he was used to Synchro Summon a Dragon or Plant Synchro monster, it cannot be destroyed by card effects, including its own!"

"You intend on ruining the show with your _beast_?!" Lord Kazuma demanded, angry that he was now losing control of the duel.

"She isn't a beast. She's my partner!" Rosetta clarified. Thrusting out her right hand, she added, "Black Rose Gale!" Black Rose Dragon flapped out her wings in front of her and unleashed a tornado at every card on the field, turning them all into particles until she was the only one remaining.

"I'll then activate the Equip Spell card, United We Stand, and equip it onto Black Rose Dragon. For every monster on my field, Black Rose Dragon gains 800 attack and defense points." Black Rose Dragon roared as she powered up.

**Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 + 800 = 3200 DEF: 1800 + 800 = 2600**

"Battle!" Rosetta declared. "Black Rose Dragon attacks you directly, Kazuma! Black Rose Flare!" Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it at Lord Kazuma, causing him to fly back and fall to the ground.

**Lord Kazuma: 3700 – 3200 = 500 LP**

"I Set one card face-down and end my turn." As soon as she did that, she heard Lord Kazuma laughing. "What's so funny, clown?"

"Your ruthless nature, that's what!" Lord Kazuma answered, as he slowly got up from the ground and back onto his two feet. "Tell me something, Rosetta. That last attack on me. Were you happy you got some retribution for SengokuQueen?"

"Happy?" Rosetta repeated. "Are you still on that wacky belief of yours?"

"If you're referring to the fact that all humans become evil to seek happiness, then yes, I'm still on that!" Lord Kazuma confirmed. "You know, thinking about it, if Raguel didn't 'save' you, then you would have been just like me."

"No I wouldn't have!" Rosetta tried to deny.

"YES YOU WOULD HAVE!" Lord Kazuma retorted, in a stern, yet crazy voice that stopped Rosetta from speaking. "From what Ace told me, you sought revenge on the Cyberse for breaking up your precious family. He also mentioned you laughed with joy upon your victory against Reidrith and Jeanne Azaria. So I wonder what that makes you. A hypocrite, or something else?"

Rosetta found she couldn't respond back to Lord Kazuma's statement. He called her out for doing something evil that ultimately made her happy. Was he right all this time? Were all human beings destined to walk an evil path to obtain happiness and fulfillment?

"While you think about that, I think I'll wrap this duel up now." Lord Kazuma placed his hand on the top card of his deck. "My turn! I draw!" He drew the top card of his deck, and upon looking at it, he laughed.

"What's so funny now?" Rosetta demanded, having grown tired of her opponent. "Have you finally gone insane or something?"

"Oh no, no, no." Lord Kazuma replied. "It's just this card... I was supposed to use it against Raguel. But to use it against a duelist like you... oh well." He shrugged his shoulders. "I activate the Spell card, Monster Reborn! This card lets me Special Summon a monster from either of our Graveyards! Grace the field once again, Dark Magician!" At Lord Kazuma's command, Dark Magician reappeared on his field.

**Dark Magician ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 LV: 7**

"It's time for the main event! I activate the Spell card, The Eye of Timaeus!"

"The Eye of Timaeus?" Rosetta repeated.

"When I activate The Eye of Timaeus," Lord Kazuma explained, "I'm allowed to target a Dark Magician monster I control and Fusion Summon using both it and this card as Fusion Material! Emerge, Timaeus!" At Lord Kazuma's command, a four-legged turquoise dragon appeared on his field. The dragon had large fins on the sides of his head, with two large horns on the top. But what was evident the most about Timaeus was the scar that went over his right eye.

Upon appearing on Lord Kazuma's field, both Timaeus and Dark Magician disintegrated into blue and red particles of energy, which swirled into a vortex. Two tornadoes of energy then shot upwards and merged to form a white and yellow whirlwind.

"The legendary magician and dragon of legend shall unite to conquer their enemy!" Lord Kazuma chanted. "Fusion Summon! Come forth! Level 8! Dark Magician the Dragon Knight!" Dark Magician reappeared standing on the back of Timaeus, who was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone. This time, Dark Magician wore silver armor all over his body. Instead of his dark blue rod, he now carried a sword with a jewel on it in his right hand.

**Dark Magician the Dragon Knight ATK: 3000 DEF: 2500 LV: 8**

"A Fusion Summon using only one monster..." Rosetta muttered. "I didn't know you had a monster like this, Kazuma, but it's no match for Black Rose Dragon!"

"I wouldn't be so confident, Rosetta." Lord Kazuma responded. "Never make a declaration until the last card is played. That's another thing my old mentor used to say to me." He then revealed the last card in his hand to her. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Dark Magic Unleashed!" The card showed Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl on Timaeus' back, combining their power alongside the dragon as eliminate an army of Orichalcos Soldiers. "This card's effects are applied in sequence according to the number of Dark Magician and/or Dark Magician Girl monsters on my field and in my Graveyard! Since there's a Dark Magician on my field and Graveyard, and a Dark Magician Girl also in my Graveyard, I can activate all three effects!"

"All three...?" Rosetta said in shock. She then got her bearings together upon realizing something. "But Dark Magician the Dragon Knight is not Dark Magician! So you should only be able to activate the first two effects!"

"Actually, as long as Dark Magician the Dragon Knight is on my field or in the Graveyard," Lord Kazuma explained, "its name can _also_ become Dark Magician as well!" Rosetta's eyes widened in surprise to this. "Now that you understand, allow me to explain the three effects in a short, yet sweet sequence." He held out a finger. "One: A DARK Spellcaster monster on my field gains 2000 attack points until the End Phase! I choose Dark Magician the Dragon Knight!" Both Dark Magician and Timaeus then glowed with energy as their strength increased.

**Dark Magician the Dragon Knight ATK: 3000 + 2000 = 5000**

He then held up a second finger. "Two: Not only can my Spell or Trap cards not be destroyed by card effects until the End Phase, you can't activate cards or effects in response to them!" After saying that, he held up a third and final finger. "Three: Until the end of this turn, all DARK Spellcaster monsters are unaffected by card effects!"

_I can't use Rose Barrier Force to protect Black Rose Dragon_, Rosetta realized. _Which means I've lost the duel!_

"It's over, scum!" Lord Kazuma declared. "Battle! Dark Magician the Dragon Knight attacks Black Rose Dragon! Dark Decimation!" Timaeus flew high into the air as Dark Magician traced several Dark Magical Circles in front of them and towards Black Rose Dragon. Timaeus then fired a blast of energy through the rings, getting stronger with each ring that it went through. The resulting blast consumed Black Rose Dragon, destroying her completely and also sending Rosetta flying off the ground before landing on her back.

**Rosetta: 1450 – 1800 = 0**

Lord Kazuma then walked over to where Rosetta was, who struggled to get up. "If there's anything I can part you with, it's this. I used to think my life was a tragedy, but I realized back then that it's a fucking comedy." He made a wicked smile upon saying that.

"Even if I go down, the others..." Rosetta tried to say, but her body then turned red.

"Shush, shush, shush..." Lord Kazuma told her. "If you speak, it'll only make the pain worse." A dark blue rod then appeared in his right hand, which he pointed at Rosetta. "Vanish, knowing you've failed." He then fired a blast of magical energy at her, breaking her body completely apart as the remaining data went up and straight to the Tower of Hanoi.

"I trust you had fun?" the voice of Revolver said, as he emerged from a portal behind Lord Kazuma, who turned around to face him.

"I eliminated the traitor, just like you told me. And it was fun." Lord Kazuma replied. "A pity we couldn't have spared her. I honestly wanted to make Raguel surrender by holding her hostage."

"I believe Infearno has something regarding that worked out." Revolver stated, much to Lord Kazuma's delight. The portal behind Revolver then reappeared behind him. "Head to the bridges and guard the Tower of Hanoi alongside Specter. If anyone tries to approach the Tower using the bridges, I need you two to buy as much time as possible."

"Seriously?" Lord Kazuma complained. "I wanted to face off against Stregone!"

"I said if _anyone_ uses the bridges." Revolver clarified, narrowing his eyes at Lord Kazuma to make him understand.

"Very well." Lord Kazuma complied. Before Revolver went through the portal, Lord Kazuma spoke up again. "Revolver, I forgot to say thanks."

"For what?" Revolver asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For accepting me as a part of the Hanoi's family three years ago." Revolver's eyes widened in surprise. "Being with similar people like me... means a lot, you know."

"I see." Revolver gave a smirk. "Well, we're happy you're fighting on our side, Lord Kazuma. After all, family sticks together no matter what." He then went into the portal and left Lord Kazuma alone.

"No matter what..." Lord Kazuma muttered, as he pulled out The Eye of Timaeus and looked at it briefly before putting it away.

_Elsewhere, in another area of LINK VRAINS..._

Numera sighed as she kept running. Unbeknownst to her, the azure-overcoated man followed her from a distance by leaping from building to building.

"Seriously," she said. "How long am I to reaching the Tower of Hanoi, Greg?"

"You'll make it if you keep running straight for ten minutes." Greg answered her through the earpiece. Numera frowned. His voice was getting scratchy.

"Greg, I'm getting some interference. Is it on your end?"

"No. The Tower appears to be disrupting communications on your end. The closer you go..."

"The worse the connection will be..." Numera finished. Suddenly, the wind picked up, releasing a chill behind her. Which meant only one thing. "I know you're out there. So show yourself already!"

"My, my. Is that how you treat your old caretaker? I thought you knew better... _Rachel_."

Numera gasped as a woman emerged from a portal in front of her and came into view. Upon looking at the woman and recognizing her as _Athaliah_ of all people, she started shaking. No. This was impossible. The last time Numera saw Athaliah was six years ago, where a year of hellish abuse would begin soon after. But somehow, someway, she was here. Facing Numera. Right now.

"Athaliah?" Numera said, the horror in her voice evident.

Athaliah smiled. "To think I'd see a survivor of my experiments here today is such a rare treat indeed."

"Athaliah?!" Greg said, shock and surprise evident in his voice. "That's... that's not possible! She's supposed to be in jail!"

"How?!" Numera demanded. "How are you here? You were sent to prison for the inhumane experiments you conducted!"

"I was. But I escaped, and had to lay low to avoid getting caught again." Athaliah answered her. "You could say I found sanctuary in the Black Market, where I was able to make a living once again without getting caught, which led me to being here."

Athaliah's voice lowered. "But seeing you here, a survivor of my experiments, has made me realize I can begin my experiments anew and away from the eyes of the law. Of course, I'll have to do it at a time where everyone is occupied with recovering from the damage the Tower of Hanoi will bring to the network."

"You're sick, you know that?" Numera said. "I'm not letting you subject any more people to your experiments. This I swear!" She activated her Duel Disk.

Meanwhile, the azure-overcoated man, who had been listening to their conversation, crossed his arms and looked down at them. _Another duel is about to begin_, he thought. _I'm curious about these two duelists. Let's see how well they do against one another._

"You, a mere lab rat, challenge me to a duel?" Athaliah asked, as she activated her own Duel Disk. "I'll oblige, for two reasons. To study how well you've done under my care, and to acquire samples from your corpse for my next set of experiments."

"Numera, be careful!" Greg warned her. "Regardless of what deck Athaliah uses, she's still dangerous."

"Don't worry. I will." Numera responded, before turning her attention at Athaliah.

"Duel!" Numera and Athaliah said in unison.

**Athaliah: 4000 LP**

**Numera: 4000 LP**

Looking at her cards, Athaliah smiled. "I shall go first. Let me show you the true power of my deck! I activate the Field Spell card, Curse of the Shadow Prison! Every time a 'Shaddoll' monster is sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, I can place a Spellstone counter on it. And for every Spellstone counter, your monsters lose 100 attack points during your turn only." The entire Duel Field was then enveloped by a black puddle.

"Gross..." Numera muttered, as she took her foot out of the puddle and wiped off the stain.

"I then Set a monster in face-down defense position." Athaliah continued, as a face-down card appeared in defense position. "I'll also Set two cards face-down and end my turn."

_What is she planning_, Numera thought, as she looked at Athaliah's field. Whatever it was, she had to stop it because it looked suspicious, and not because it involved the giant puddle covering the Duel Field.

"My turn! I draw!" Numera said, drawing the top card of her deck. "I activate the Spell card, One-Time Passcode! This card lets me Special Summon a 'Security' token to my field in Defense Position." Soon, a blue card with a lamb silhouette on it appeared on Numera's field.

**Security Token ATK: 2000 DEF: 2000 LV: 4**

"Next, I summon Mathmech Nabla from my hand." A black and yellow robot carrying a large blade appeared on Numera's field. The robot had a yellow visor covering its face, along with hardened shoulders, and yellow nabla elements covering its body.

**Mathmech Nabla ATK: 1000 DEF: 1500 LV: 4**

"Nabla's effect! By tributing a Cyberse monster, I get to Special Summon a 'Mathmech' monster from my deck! Come, Mathmech Division!" A yellow and dark gray robot carrying a battle halberd also appeared on Numera's field. The robot had orange eyes, and at the back of its head was a long strand of hair.

**Mathmech Division ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 LV: 4**

"I now tune the Level 4 Mathmech Nabla with the Level 4 Mathmech Division!" Numera chanted, as a bolt of red lightning struck the ground from behind her and greying the world out. Both monsters disintegrated into particles and turned into two rings, with one being black and the other being yellow before merging and turning blue. Eight blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "4 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "8" as light surged through the rings.

"Through code and metal," Numera chanted, "mighty Sigma will obtain a new evolution, ready for battle! Synchro Summon! Appear, Mathmech Magma!" A red and white robot with a massive, black cape emerged from the light and in the right Extra Monster Zone. The robot had white spikes on its head and on its broad shoulders. The robot also carried a sword that was curved throughout the blade, in the shape of waves. Fire erupted from the tip of the sword as Magma swung the sword, ready for battle.

**Geomathmech Magma ATK: 2500 DEF: 0 LV: 8**

"What a foolish girl you are!" Athaliah suddenly said. "Trap card, activate! Sinister Shadow Games! By sending a 'Shaddoll' card from my deck to my Graveyard, I can change any number of face-down 'Shaddoll' monsters on my field to face-up defense position!" A card then popped out of her deck, which she grabbed and sent to the Graveyard. Sinister Shadow Games then grabbed Athaliah's face-down defense position monster and literally flipped it up, revealing a purple-colored dragon with five strings on its legs and body. The dragon had brown fur on going backwards on its chin and head. Its yellow eyes glowed upon seeing Numera.

**Shaddoll Dragon ATK: 1900 DEF: 0 LV: 4**

"As a 'Shaddoll' monster was sent to the Graveyard, Curse of the Shadow Prison's effect now activates!"

**Curse of the Shadow Prison SSC: 0 + 1 = 1**

"In addition, I activate Shaddoll Dragon's effect! Since it was flipped face up, I can target one card you control and return it to your hand!" Athaliah added. "I choose your Geomathmech Magma!"

"What?!" Numera exclaimed, as Shaddoll Dragon fired a blast of purple energy at Magma, disintegrating it and returning back to Numera's Extra Deck. "Since Geomathmech Magma is a Synchro monster, it returns to my Extra Deck instead."

"Regardless, Magma is no longer on your field." Athaliah stated. "I also activate the effect of Shaddoll Beast in my Graveyard! Since it was sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, I can draw one card from my deck." She then drew the top card of her deck. "Do you have anymore moves to make, little girl?"

"I... I Set two cards face-down and end my turn." Numera concluded hesitantly, taking two cards in her hand and Setting them face-down on her field. _She disposed my monster without attacking_, she realized. _And her deck had to be a Flip deck of all things!_

"Rachel, are you okay?" Greg asked over the earpiece.

"I'm fine. For now." Numera answered. But deep down, a part of her knew one thing for certain. This duel was going to be one of the hardest she ever fought in.

**Card Gallery**

_Nature's Protector (LV: 4/Spellcaster/Earth/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1200)_

_Effect: If one or more Plant monsters you control would be destroyed by a card effect: You can send this card from your hand to the GY instead. During your opponent's turn: You can banish this card from your GY; your opponent cannot target Plant monsters for attacks, but does not prevent your opponent from attacking directly. You can only activate 1 effect of 'Nature's Protector' per turn, and only 1 effect that turn._

_Rose Squire (LV:3/Warrior/Earth/ATK: 100/DEF: 800)_

_Effect: If you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If this card is used as Synchro Material for a Dragon or Plant Synchro monster, the Synchro Summoned monster cannot be destroyed by card effects, including its own. You can only Special Summon 'Rose Squire' this way once per duel._

_Last Lost Magic Battle (Continuous-Spell card)_

_Effect: Once per turn, when a Spellcaster monster you control is targeted for an attack: Halve any battle damage you would have received from that battle (you cannot halve battle damage the same way). Each time you take battle damage: Place 1 'Sacrament' counter on this card. Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can remove 1 'Sacrament' counter from this card; Special Summon 1 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' from your deck or Graveyard. If this card leaves the field: Banish all cards you control._

_Dark Magic Unleashed (Quick-Play Spell card)_

_Effect: Apply these effects in sequence, based on the number of 'Dark Magician' and 'Dark Magician Girl' monsters in your field and GY:_

_1 or more: Target 1 DARK Spellcaster monster on your field; it gains 2000 ATK until the End Phase._

_2 or more: Spell and Trap cards you control cannot be destroyed by card effects; also, your opponent cannot activate card effects in response until the End Phase._

_3 or more: DARK Spellcaster monsters you control are unaffected by card effects until the End Phase. _

**QOTC**

_With Lord Kazuma having used The Eye of Timaeus in this chapter, who do you think will use The Fang of Critias and The Claw of Hermos in the coming chapters?_

**Chapter Preview**

_Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 31: Cursed Nightmare. Before Numera lies her old tormentor, the one who used her like a doll for her wicked experiments. All in the name of 'science'. Athaliah. As the two woman duel against each other, Athaliah sinisterly locks Numera's moves down, to the point of destroying her precious guardian in order to cripple her spirit. Can Numera overcome her trauma and destroy the monster in front of her? _

_Chapter 32: Truths Revealed. To save LINK VRAINS from destruction, Raguel heads to the Tower of Hanoi. However, standing in his way is none other than Lord Kazuma, who challenges him to a rematch! Meanwhile, Playmaker is confronted by Specter, and learns about his shocking past during their duel..._

**Author's Notes**

Hello, everyone! Before I begin, I want to give credit goes to Electriuser for providing the Spell card Last Lost Magic Battle. Even though this chapter was short, I do hope you enjoyed it, as well as the chapter previews to come!

The main event of this chapter was the duel between Rosetta and Lord Kazuma. Even though she held her own against Lord Kazuma, as many of you guessed, he defeated her using his secret weapon: The Eye of Timaeus! I'm curious as to how many people were surprised at Lord Kazuma using one of the three legendary dragons of Atlantis. Where do you think he got it from, and how did he get it? Who do you think will use Critias and Hermos?

The chapter also briefly touched Lord Kazuma's backstory, which I'll recap here. He said that he revels in hurting people to obtain the joy he seeks. After all, someone Lord Kazuma once knew told him this. But the question is, who? Another thing to keep in mind is that he believes that all humans become evil to seek happiness, and points that out in Rosetta when she was with the Hanoi. Why do you think he believes in that ideology? What do you think drove him to being the way he is? You will find that out in the chapters to come.

The last thing that happened was Numera encountering Athaliah before beginning her duel against her (with the azure-overcoated man watching their duel from above). As shown in this chapter, Athaliah uses a Shaddoll deck, a deck that focuses on Flip Summoning and locking down the opponent through Fusion Summoning. The next chapter will not only continue the duel, but also show more of Numera's backstory. Hopefully, you'll get the answers you're looking for regarding Numera.

A couple of announcements. The first announcement is regarding the Playmaker vs. Specter duel. As evident in Chapter 32's preview, I'll be writing that duel down alongside Raguel vs. Lord Kazuma. But I want your honest opinions on the Playmaker vs. Specter duel. Did you like how it was shown in the anime? Is there anything that you want kept? Anything you want removed? Anything you want to see (ex. different cards)? Please let me know in your reviews.

The second announcement is regarding the release of Chapter 31. Due to midterms coming up, please expect a small delay in the release. However, there's some good news. I have only two midterms this year, and they'll be easier to handle due to everything going on. They'll also be on the same week, which means I can focus on getting them over with. Therefore, I intend to release Chapter 31 on Earthoween (or in other words, October 31).

Thank you very much for your understanding, as well as for reading Chapter 30 of Obscured Truth. As always, please let me know your thoughts about the chapters below in your reviews. Also, constructive criticism is appreciated, as your tips and advice helps make the story better. In addition, don't forget to favorite and follow the story. That way, you will get a notification once the next chapter is released.

Stay tuned for what's to come, as next time, Numera will face off against her tormentor!


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